Dead Man Walking
by Mtop70
Summary: Jackson Wesson stands as the shell of a man he once was. Three years after a pivotal moment in his life, a brush with death drops him in the arms of Team RWBY, and someone he never thought he'd see again. Over time he creates bonds with RWBY and others, and collects pieces of himself as well. But when truths are revealed, can he forgive and forget, or will he burn it to the ground?
1. Pilot

AN: **Hey guys, welcome to Dead Man Walking! This is my first fanfic, so I don't know what's going to happen. Hopefully well. Anyways, enjoy!**

 _..._

 _Emerald Forest_

Jackson Wesson was hiding in the trees, patiently waiting for big game to walk into his line of sight.

"*sigh* If I knew it was going to take this long, I would have brought a book or something."

Hours had passed since he holed up here, and nothing but Grimm and small game had crossed his field of view. He began to think that this trip was for nothing, but finally, a large elk had come out into the clearing.

Jackson's eyes practically popped out of his skull once he saw it. "Oum, that thing is huge! It can feed me for the next two months. And it will!"

Once he had gotten out of his drooling state, he composed himself and got into a stable position.

Reaching out next to him, he brought out his bow and quiver. The bow itself was a 64 inch Bear Glass Powered Recurve with a drawback of 44 pounds. It's 63 years old, a family heirloom, but it looks to be in pristine condition, aside from the grip, which has been worn down and discolored from constant handling. The bow has been discontinued, and only a handful remain due to being replaced with the technologically superior compound bows currently manufactured. Getting an up-to-date bow was no issue, but he had developed a bond with the Bear over the years, with it's seemingly eternal mint condition and the swift and silent kills it carries out. To abandon it now would be nothing short of a crime.

Pulling an arrow out of his quiver, he slows his breathing and prepares for the shot. Loosening his arms, he pulls back his arrow, all the way back to the corner of his mouth. Pulling back the bow would require much more force than compound bows, but after years of using it, it feels like pulling on a rubber band. All his focus is then put on the elk, everything surrounding it turning to a dull blur. Taking into account wind speeds, distance, and the drop of the arrow, he adjusts accordingly, now only waiting on the perfect moment. Its body was parallel to his own, preventing him from getting a clean shot and a quick and (mostly) painless death. After another minute or so of waiting, the elk had turned its body, giving him an opening for a clean shot. He took a second to make sure everything was properly accounted for, and let go.

Jackpot.

The arrow whistled through the air, and hit the elk, going through both lungs and out the opposite side. The severity and shock of the attack kept the elk from taking 5 steps as it collapsed.

"YEAH BABY!" he cheered as he jumped down from his spot. After landing, his figure was no longer obscured and was visible for anyone to see.

Standing at an impressive 6 feet 3 inches, Jackson had brown tan skin, dry and rugged for being out in the forest for so long. He had an above average build with broad shoulders. At age 16 (soon to be 17), his deep voice made him much more intimidating. His hair was jet black, and he had a fair amount of stubble from not shaving. However, his most prominent feature were his eyes. Ever since birth, his eyes were a slightly dull gold color, leaving people mesmerized at his appearance. He wore camouflage pants with brown combat boots, and a black hoodie with the sleeves rolled up.

Walking up to the animal, he could already taste the elk jerky in his mouth. As he was nearing it, he heard a rustle in the bushes nearby, causing him to immediately pull out his revolver and aim it at the source of the disturbance.

His revolver was a .500 Magnum, with a capacity of 5 rounds in the cylinder, sacrificing capacity for power. The barrel was 8.5 inches long, and has enough recoil for any inexperienced gunmen stupid enough to shoot it have it flying back at their face and breaking their nose. It has a dark grey coating on it, along with a small red symbol above the grip and behind the cylinder. It appears to be a skull and crossbones, but instead, the crossbones are replaced with a revolver and a large knife.

After a few seconds, a small Ursa cub popped out of the bushes, attracted here by the smell of fresh blood.

Jackson relaxes and, surprisingly, begins to smile. "Heh, reminds me of a little buddy of mine." The cub notices him, and suddenly goes cowers back into the bushes, hoping he would go away.

He lets out a chuckle, and turns toward the elk. "You're just hungry, aren't you?" Pressing a button on the revolver, it begins to transform.

The grip aligns itself with the barrel, and a guard wraps around his hand, with rectangular bumps on the outer edge, similar to brass knuckles. The barrel then flattens out and begins to widen, sharpening at one side and curving inwards to a pointed tip. Little segments of the blade create a triangular gap at the bottom of the blade, giving it a serrated edge. All in all, it transforms into a serrated bowie knife/brass knuckles

After the transformation, he then proceeds to cut off a leg from the elk, the serrated edge giving it a saw like effect, making it easier to cut through the bone. Once it's done, he turns back toward the bushes, finding the cub still there.

"Here," he said, tossing the limb in front of the bush as the knife returned to its revolver form.

The cub popped its head out, sniffing the leg, before slowly coming out of the bush and glancing at the man that tossed it to it.

"Consider it a peace treaty," he said, making no move to hide the amusement in his voice.

After a moment of indecision, the cub finally gives in and chows down on the leg meat. It was everything the little Grimm had wanted and more.

Jackson walked towards the cub, getting down on one knee and began to pet it.

"Seems like you haven't eaten in a while little guy, where's your momma?"

Suddenly, his face paled and his smile disappeared as he realized his mistake.

He turned around in an attempt to defend himself, but he was too late as Momma Grimm was already on top of him, hammering him into the ground, and obliterating his Aura in the process.

Before he could recover, the Grimm had gone at him, clawing at his chest and stomach area, eliciting a blood curdling scream as the claws cut deep into his body. Paralyzed from the pain, he was at the mercy of the Ursa. The Grimm flipped him over, and proceeded to do the same thing to his backside. His screams could be heard for miles as he was going through immeasurable pain.

After what seemed like an eternity in Hell, the Grimm finally seemed to let up, moving towards her cub to check to see it it was injured. But Jackson knew it would come back for him. With his shattered Aura and all the strength he could muster, he pulled his revolver from its holster and took aim. He would have to wait until the very last second to shoot, otherwise it would fly out of his hands and it would be game over.

Momma Grimm had finally focused back on him, and was revving up to pound him into a fatal submission. After a moment, she suddenly charged at him, gaining momentum the closer she got to him. And once she was about to come down on top of him, he fired.

 _ **BAM!**_

The shot made contact with the Ursa, and blew off the back of its head. It slams into the ground, mere inches from him, before it begins to disappear.

The shot had caused the gun to fly out of his hands and end up 4 feet away from him, his arm giving out.

He was breathing heavily as he was bleeding from every cut he got. His half-semblance had kicked in, but it was too late to save him from these wounds. "3 years. That's not a bad run." He paused for a moment. "It's not exactly a good one either."

His vision began to blur and darken as his consciousness slowly began to leave him, along with his blood.

But, before blacking out, he saw something strange.

Three blurs had appeared in his vision, one of them being very faint because of the darkness surrounding his vision. But the other two were bright, vibrant colors.

Red and Yellow.

Before he could make sense of it, he passed out from blood loss.

...

Ruby, Yang, and Blake landed in the Emerald Forest on a locate and exterminate mission, finding and killing any Grimm they see, and prevent overpopulation.

Ruby and Yang were excited that they were given the chance to kill Grimm, but Blake seemed indifferent.

Yang took notice of her partner's lack of emotion. "Come on Blake, we've been stuck in classes all week! Aren't you finally excited to to be going out and doing stuff?"

Ruby joined in on the conversation. "Yeah, we'll be killing Grimm, and looking totally cool while doing it!"

Even with their attempts to excite her, Blake didn't bite. "The only thing I want to do is head back to our dorm and read my book." Little did the sisters know that Blake's book, "Ninjas of Love" was MUCH more than what it seemed.

"You're no fun," Yang grumbled. "At least Weiss would take some interest in this."

"Yeah, it stinks that she couldn't be here with us," Ruby said. "Where did she go again?"

"She said something about heading back home to talk about her future inheritance." Blake said, actually contributing to the conversation.

Before the trio could continue their discussion, they heard a scream echo through the forest.

"Someone's in trouble!" Ruby said, suddenly concerned and alert.

Another scream spread throughout the forest, urging the girls to jump into action. They began to head in the general direction the scream originated from. After a few minutes, nothing could be heard.

They all came to a stop, angered that they haven't found the source of the outburst yet.

"Damn it, where did it come from?!" Yang growled out.

To answer her question, a gunshot rang out through the whole forest, much louder and more precise.

"It came from that way!" Ruby said, pointing northeast of their current location.

Heading in that direction, they had come into a clearing, and what they saw shocked and horrified them.

Laying in the middle of the clearing, there was a teenage boy, whose clothing was torn to shreds and deep cuts covering his body from the neck down, in a puddle of his own blood. 4 feet away from him laid a large revolver, and even farther away from that, laid his bow and quiver, arrows littering the area around them. Just as they reached him, he lost consciousness, leaving them unable to figure out what happened until later.

"Yang, call in an emergency Bullhead, tell them we've got a critically wounded civilian!" Ruby ordered.

Yang immediately complied, getting on her scroll and calling in a medevac. As she was doing that, she noticed the elk at the edge of the clearing, with a wound where it's lungs are located, and its sawed off leg nearby. Right as she saw that, she saw a little figure scamper off into the forest. She paid no attention to it, what she was curious about was why was a teenage boy hunting big game with outdated weaponry? Especially all by himself? Before she could dive any deeper, Yang was finally patched through to Ozpin.

"Professor Ozpin! We came across a severely wounded boy in the forest and we need a Bullhead sent our way as soon as possible!"

Blake decided to put aside the questions for now. There would be plenty of time for answers once he, if he does, recover and wake up.

AN: **And that's the first chapter! I think it went pretty well, but that's for you guys to decide. Since it's my first fic, I'm open to any suggestions on how it could be improved. Also, HUGE shoutout to DatRtfantho, for going over this and helping me out where it was needed. He's got a really good thing going on, called** _ **RWBY: Desertion.**_ **It's finished, and he's already started a sequel to it, so go check it out.**

 **See ya (hopefully) soon!**


	2. Unexpected Reunion

AN: **Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter of Dead Man Walking! I don't have a set schedule, so uploads will be at random. Enjoy! Also, I forgot to put this in the first chapter, so…**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY**

 _..._

 _Location Unknown_

Jackson slowly stirred awake, opening his eyes to a blinding white. After having his eyes adjust to the brightness, he realized that he was staring up at a ceiling. As he tried to get up, he felt a weight on his chest. Looking horizontally, he found a large pile of first aid kits atop his chest. There was a small note attached to the mountain of med kits:

 _Get well,_

 _Tucker_

It was a joke pulled off by one of the nurses, because he could hear a male nurse laughing in the distance.

Not caring for the kits, he shoved it aside and let it fall to the floor. After getting off the bed, he proceeded to stretch out his body, multiple bones popping from lack of movement. Suddenly, he felt a draft come along, his whole body shivering from the breeze. He found himself in a hospital gown, wearing only a pair of boxers underneath.

Looking around the room, he found a set of clothes by his bed, a plain black t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. His weapons were laid out on the table sitting at the foot of his bed. Taking off the gown, he found a multitude of scars covering his body. "What happened?"

And everything came flooding back.

He slumped over, remembering what occurred. "Oh yeah, I got my ass handed to me by a Grimm. Now I feel defeated." He then straightened out his posture. "Yet inexplicably rejuvenated!"

After gearing up, he walked towards the door, only to find it locked. He jiggled the handle a few more times, but it wouldn't budge.

An emotionless expression fell upon his face. "Well, I was hoping to sneak out quietly, but that's out the window."

Without realizing there was a window in his room, he kicked the door open with an aura infused kick, and made his way out into the hallway.

…

 _Beacon Medical Waiting Room_

 _1 Week After Medevac_

Team RBY sat in the waiting room, worried about the teenager they found in the forest.

As they were waiting, Weiss had walked in, looking exhausted.

Ruby was the first to notice and immediately perked up. "Weiss! You're back!" She squealed, wrapping Weiss in a hug.

Weiss, however, was none too pleased.

"Let. Go." she ordered, slightly frightening Ruby and doing what she said, albeit reluctantly.

Weiss had noticed what she did upset Ruby. She sighed and placed her hands on her head.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's just that the trip was nothing like I expected."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"Instead of a small orientation for becoming a CEO, it came out to be a week long lecture from my father," Weiss muttered. "And all I got out of it was a massive headache."

Just then, a doctor had walked into the waiting room, carrying a clipboard. "Team RWBY?" He called out.

Most of the group stood up out of their seats, but Weiss hadn't budged. "You guys go on ahead," she said. "I still need to recover, so keep it quiet."

They nodded their heads, and proceeded to follow the doctor back to the teenager's room.

"How's he doing, doctor?" Ruby asked.

"Well, it was quite close, but he's now in a stable condition." He let out a small chuckle. "You were lucky to find him when you did. A minute, and he'd be dead."

The girls slightly paled when they heard that, grateful they stumbled across him.

"However," the doctor said, "He's still in pretty bad shape."

"What do you mean?" Yang asked.

"Well, he lost a large amount of blood, and the claws cut quite deep, dangerously close to his heart, and nicking a few vital organs. Overall, his body has gone through a great amount of stress. He'll be out of commision for the next two months or so. If what you said was anything to go by, this man was still conscious after being mauled at such a high degree. Not only that, but actually managed to KILL the damn thing. He won't be going down without a fight anytime soon."

The girls were awestruck at the description the doctor gave them. Even with the mauling of a lifetime, he still had the strength and determination to finish what it started. They don't know whether to be impressed, or scared.

"Ah, here we are," the doctor said. "His room is just down this hallway. You can pay him a visit if you wish, but he was out like a light last time I was there. Oum knows when he'll wake u-"

He was interrupted when a door was kicked off its hinges and embedded into the opposite wall.

Team RBY went into a combat stance, while the doctor hid himself behind them, waiting to see what would happen next.

Eventually, a man walked out into the hallway, the same one they saved from death a week ago.

Jackson took notice of the girls, and was able to get a good look at them.

There were three of them, and they all seem to be connected to a color. The youngest one, no more than 13, was wearing a red cloak, leggings, some red and black tutu, and combat boots. She had extremely pale skin, silver eyes, and brown hair with red tips. She had a large metal square, most likely a compact weapon, attached to her back.

The second one took after the color yellow, with skin equally as pale as the first, lilac eyes, and wearing some rather… revealing clothing. Her hair was quite long, and she wore a pair of gauntlets, showing her to be the close quarters brute of the group.

The third one was connected to the color black, also wearing leggings, but would start out as black from the top and slowly turn purple the farther down it went. She wore a black bow on top of her head, and had raven black hair. Her weapon was a sword of some type, a katana perhaps? And a pistol seemed to be integrated into the hilt of the blade.

But what stood out the most was her eyes.

Her eyes were a vibrant yellow, possessing an almost feline trait. It was hypnotic, in a way.

However, something about her rubbed him the wrong way. He couldn't put his finger on it, but his gut told him to not trust her, under any circumstances.

After all, if he didn't listen to his gut, he'd have died a long time ago.

After getting a good look of the girls, he finally saw the way they were positioned, how their bodies had tensed up.

If anything, these girls were ready for a fight.

" _Ah, shit,"_ He thought.

Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled out his revolver and aimed it at the group.

This caused the girls to go even more on edge, and a little fidgety.

"Care to tell me where I am?" His deep voice echoed throughout the hallway, causing the girls to jump. Right now he was only stalling, building a plan in his head, on how he could get out of this.

Only now did he notice the window in his room, and made a mental note to slap himself later. _'Now all I need is a distraction.'_

The black one spoke up first. "We're not looking for a fight, we just want some answers."

Jackson pulled back the hammer, continuing to aim at the trio. "I won't ask again. Where am I?"

The younger one stepped forward, hands in front of her, hoping to defuse the situation. "You're at Beacon Academy, in the infirmary."

This seemed to work somewhat, as Jackson lowered the gun, if only a little. "How did I get here?"

"We found you in the Emerald Forest, severely wounded, holding on to dear life," the young one responded. "We brought you here to be patched up. You've been here for a week."

Jackson smiled at what he heard. "So you three are my angels in disguise?" he asked.

"That's one way of looking at it, yeah," the blonde said.

Jackson continued, "I'd like to know the names of my saviors."

The girls were hesitant to give out their names to a stranger, but relented.

Little Red Riding Hood was the first to speak. "My name is Ruby Rose, and I'm the leader of the team."

Jackson's eyes widened at what he just heard. How could they possibly put this little girl in charge of a team?

"I'm Yang Xiao Long, Ruby's sister," the blonde said. Jackson's eyes opened even wider. Aside from the pale skin, these two looked nothing alike in any shape or form.

"Blake Belladonna," the final one said. Jackson now knew her name, but that didn't make him any less uncomfortable around her.

"Well, Ruby," Jackson said. "It seems I owe you and your team a thank you for saving my life. So, thank you."

"It's what we do," Ruby said. "We help others when they need it."

"Either way, I'll find a way to reward you once I get back home."

"Hold up," said Blake, suddenly more brave. "What makes you think you can just leave after what happened?"

"Ruby said it herself," Jackson said. "You guys brought me here to fix me up, and here I am, no worse for wear, aside from a few souvenirs. So, if you'll excuse me, I have to get going."

Jackson took one step forward, but was met with their weapons raised, aimed at him, and Ruby setting her hands on her weapon behind her.

"We don't know who you are, and what your intentions are. So, until we have some questions answered, you're not going anywhere." At this the doctor fled the scene, leaving the four teens to settle it themselves.

Jackson's smile slowly disappeared, replaced with a stone cold look, his grip tightening on his revolver. "I was out hunting, and I was attacked by an Ursa. That's all you need to know. Leave it at that, or things will get ugly."

Before they could respond, a shrill voice echoed throughout the hallway. "I GAVE YOU GUYS ONE JOB. ONE!"

Turning around the corner, Weiss came stomping into view, catching the attention of the three girls, away from him.

" _NOW!"_ he thought.

As soon as they turned their heads, Jackson dashed back into his room, and crashed through the window, landing roughly outside and running into the forest.

He only caught a glimpse of white before making his escape, thanking the person that gave him his chance at escape.

Meanwhile, RBY was reeling at what just happened, while Weiss waited for her response, clearly irked about the entire fiasco.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?"

After regaining their senses, they all glared at Weiss for inadvertently giving the stranger a window of time to escape. She shrunk when this happened, and after a few seconds, they had let up and proceeded to leave the infirmary, intending to chase the stranger into the woods.

"H-Hey! Wait up!" screamed Weiss as she followed the rest of her team.

After making her way outside, she tried to catch up to her team, after following them into the forest.

After five minutes, she was lost.

"*sigh*, me and my big mouth."

…

Jackson sprinted into the woods, hoping to lose them. He didn't dare look back, as he was too focused on escaping.

After running for a good five minutes, he decided to take a look behind him, only to find the three girls still on his tail.

" _Fuck,"_ he thought. _"I can't bring them back to the Wooden Sky Fortress, then they'll know where I live."_

He stops and turns to look at you.

"Yeah, I'm almost 17 and I live in a treehouse called the Wooden Sky Fortress. Fuck you gonna do about it?"

He looks behind him to find RBY almost on top of him, and breaks out into a sprint.

After a bit more running, he comes into a large clearing, leaving him exposed.

It was too late to turn back, as RBY bursted out into the open as well, face to face once again. Ruby finally decided to pull out her weapon, as bits and pieces moved, unraveling itself to reveal a large red scythe with…

A scope?

Jackson realized that Ruby was holding a combination of a large scythe combined with a sniper rifle, with a caliber most likely just as large.

Once it fully transformed, Ruby had slammed the blade into the ground, acting as a bipod virtually eradicate the sway, and a way to absorb the massive recoil.

" _That's pretty clever,"_ he thought.

But that leaves it pointing in one direction without giving it room to move.

He slightly moved to the right, not enough to notice, but enough to get out of the way of the bullet.

" _That's one problem taken care of for now,"_ he thought.

He pulled out his revolver and aimed it at the group.

"You ladies are a determined bunch, I'll give you that." he said.

"So we've been told," Yang retorted.

"Look," Jackson said. "I've already told you what needs to be said. I was out hunting, I got careless, and left myself open for an Ursa to attack. Why don't you believe me?"

"What have you done to earn our trust?" Blake asked.

"What have I done for you guys to distrust me?" Jackson rebutted.

"You aimed a gun at us and jumped out the window trying to escape!" Ruby said.

"I was bleeding out on the ground and woke up in a place I didn't know about before, how would you react?!" Jackson screamed.

"Wait," Blake said, lowering her weapon. "You didn't know about Beacon?"

"I was raised in a village that was completely self sufficient, meaning we didn't rely or accept any outside help. The only thing I know about Beacon is the damn name!"

Jackson's blood was beginning to boil, buried memories resurfacing again.

Sanity deteriorating.

"Everything I do out here is everything I know! I hunt. I scavenge. I survive. So-"

Without a moment's hesitation, he fired off a shot, catching the girls off guard, and hitting Blake in the leg.

Blake screamed out in pain, falling to the ground, clutching her right leg in agony.

"BLAKE!"

"-Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you take your friend here and leave, BEFORE I SKIN YOU THREE ALIVE AND MAKE A FUCKING LEATHER JACKET OUT OF IT!"

Blake removed her hand, to find it covered in blood, scaring her even more. She didn't know what was worse, the fact that he had shot her, or how he showed no remorse for it.

"Y-Yang," Ruby stuttered. "Maybe we should let him go, before things get worse. Yang?"

But Yang wasn't listening, she was too focused on her teammate, on the ground attempting to cover her wound. Her hair was alight, eyes now a bright red. She was angry.

And you wouldn't like her when she's angry.

She suddenly bursts into a giant ball of flame. "NO ONE HURTS MY TEAMMATE AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!"

She fires her gauntlets behind her, propelling herself forwards at high speeds.

But Jackson makes no move to dodge it, instead, he transforms his revolver back to Bowie form, pumping Aura into his right arm. He starts running to face her head on.

Jackson is elsewhere, and the darkness that looms within him has shown itself, turning everything red, demanding blood.

Yang and Jackson continue hurtling towards each other, rearing their fists back to send crashing into their opponent's skull.

As they finally reached each other, they let loose, their fist hurtling towards each other. They smashed their fist into the other, resulting in a massive shockwave, sending Blake and Ruby flying, while Yang and Jackson stayed in the center, neither side willing to let up.

They backed away from each other, Hell paling in comparison to the fury Yang had. Jackson, however, had a psychotic grin on his face, clearly excited.

"Well well, looks like you're not just ass and tits after all Blondie," Jackson said.

This only angered Yang even more, causing her to dash forward in an attempt to catch him off guard. Jackson barely had time to lift up his knife to block the attack, the force behind it pushing him back an inch or two. Yang didn't let up, as she continued to throw a flurry of punches at Jackson, each hit pushing him back. He was beginning to falter, but he could tell that Yang was pushing it too.

" _Just a little longer,"_ he thought.

Once Yang begins to slow down, it will give him enough of an opening to run her through.

" _sUch a ShaMe,"_ he thought. _"HeR sKIn woUld'VE maDe A mArveLous JAckEt."_

Yang's attacks were now beginning to become sluggish, after multiple attacks failed to reach it's intended target.

Yang finally had enough of him, so she put every ounce of strength into this last attack, hoping to end it.

But during the process, it left her wide open for an attack, an opening Jackson fully intended to exploit.

That is until a new figure entered his field of view, screeching his mind to a halt.

Another girl entered the clearing, looking around to see what was happening, and finally set her eyes on the ensuing battle between him and Yang.

She was wearing an all white dress, with a skirt similar to Ruby's. She wears high heeled boots, has her hair set to the right of her head, and wields a rapier with multiple dust chambers designed for different attacks to go along with her glyphs. Her name is Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.

And Jackson's closest friend for the last seven years.

All feeling left his body, the psychotic phase dissipated, red no longer clouded his vision. Of all the places, why was Weiss here? Why isn't she at Atlas? But all these questions only left him even more befuddled while emotions were swelling up within him.

"Weiss…"

But he was soon knocked out of this state, as well as the clearing, when Yang hit him full force.

He was sent flying back into the forest, smashing through multiple trees in the process.

Weiss only caught a glimpse of the stranger before being hurled a mile into the forest by Yang.

"*pant* What, *pant* did I, *pant* miss?" Weiss was ready to collapse from exhaustion, meanwhile Ruby was taking care of Blake at a nearby tree, and Yang made her way back to the group.

"Well, psycho shot Blake, threatened to use our skin for a leather jacket, and I just socked him into next year," Yang responded, a smirk on her face.

Ruby finally took notice of Weiss, and tried to wave her over. "Hey Weiss, can you help me with Blake? I feel like you know how to do this stuff better tha-"

Her request was cut short as an arrow flew out of the trees, piercing her hand and sticking it to the tree behind her. She shrieked in pain at the surprise attack, Yang witnessing the whole thing.

"RUBY!" Yang screamed, infuriated past the point of no return.

But before she could do anything about it, something hit the back of her leg.

"Fuck!" she said as she pulled out whatever hit her.

Upon closer inspection, she found it to be an arrow, but this one was different. Instead of the traditional arrow head, it had a needle similar to the ones used for vaccines. The body of the arrow was thicker than normal, and instead of feather fletchings, it had a poofy bright red tail.

Suddenly, she began feeling very tired.

"Whu… whus happenin tu meh?" she slurred.

She saw Jackson walking out of the forest, breathing raspily, bow in hand.

"Yuh… sunvu bish…"

She took one step forward, then collapsed on the ground, the tranquilizer taking full effect.

Weiss witnessed it all, still reeling from the attack on Ruby. She saw Jackson walking towards her and pointed her rapier at him, hands slightly shaking from what just happened.

But instead of raising his weapon, he put his bow away and just stared at her, like he's seen a ghost.

"Weiss… You're here," he said.

Weiss was confused and partially scared that he knew his name.

"Wh-Who are you?" she called out, hoping to get some answers.

He looked at her like she just hurt him.

"You don't remember me?" he asked.

This only caused more confusion for the young heiress, as she had no idea what he was talking about.

"It's me, Jackson."

Weiss' eyes widened as she heard the name, Jackson beginning to smile.

But almost immediately after, Weiss' face contorted into a sneer, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Don't you DARE use his name on me!" Weiss yelled at him. Without giving time to respond, she conjured up a large ball of ice, and hurled it at Jackson.

Weiss' statement left him in a state of shock, but quickly recovering after seeing the ball of ice threatening to crush him like a bug. He dived out of the way just in time, the ball rolling past him and flattening the trees behind him.

As he stood up, he was met with balls of fire exploding around him, the heat hitting him like a bus and scorching his clothing.

"Jackson would've came to us!" she said, launching ice balls at him, all of them making contact.

"Jackson wouldn't do this to others!" Weiss used whatever remained of her Fire Dust, and used it to create an extremely explosive and unstable glyph.

"JACKSON IS DEAD!"

And with that, the glyph was activated, beginning to glow brighter and brighter, causing Jackson to run as far away from the thing as he can.

But not far enough.

The glyph finally detonated, creating a shockwave so powerful, it sends Jackson flying across the clearing, slamming into a tree close to Ruby and her teammates.

Jackson was was in pain all over from everything he went through in the last 10 minutes.

Weiss made her way over to him, putting her rapier against his chest, right where his heart is.

"Anything you want to say before you die, you piece of shit?" Weiss spat.

"Yeah," Jackson said. He pulled out a small cube out of his pocket, with a little button on top of it.

"Look at this."

With the push of a button, the small box displayed a holographic video in full color, showing a young girl hiding behind her mother. She wore a white dress, a small bracelet on her arm, with her hair cut short, just past her shoulders. It was ten year old Weiss Shnee.

And she seems to be hiding from a young Jackson, equally as young.

The mother moved out of the way to expose her to the boy. "C'mon Weiss, he won't hurt you, he just wants to say hi." But no matter what she did, she couldn't seem to get her to introduce herself.

The young boy began to frown. "Mommy, does the snow girl not like me?"

The video began to shake, a snicker coming from behind the camera, most likely the mother of Jackson.

After a moment, the woman behind the camera said, "No honey, she's just shy. Why don't you find something to show her to help her come out of her shell?"

His frown was replaced with a thoughtful expression, trying to decide what to show her. After a moment, an idea popped into his head, and he ran off in the direction of the main village. After a minute, he came back to the couple with a flower pot containing wilting flowers of different variety.

Weiss slowly emerged from behind her mother, her curiosity getting the better of her. Meanwhile, Jackson stood there grinning from ear to ear.

At first, nothing seemed to happen with the flowers, they were still the dead plants from when he brought them.

Then, something enchanting happened.

The flowers were outlined with a red hue, the young girl waiting in anticipation. Then, the flowers slowly came back to life, regaining their colors, regaining their scent, reblooming.

The event mesmerised her, completely enveloped in what was happening before her. Soon, the pot was full of life, as if it was springtime, freshly bloomed and giving off a wonderful smell.

Jackson smiled and handed it to Weiss, who slightly blushed while accepting the assortment of flowers.

"Hi there, I'm Jackson. Nice to meet you."

Weiss was still gushing over the present, but eventually replied. "I'm Weiss," she said.

"Weiss," he mused. "That's a nice name."

Weiss began to smile, and the woman behind the camera began to speak.

"See? I told you they'd get along."

Then the video cuts out. After the video, Weiss was holding on only by a string, a few tears escaping.

And to finish it off, another video plays, much more recent with only Jackson.

He looks exhausted, bruised and battered all over the place, and crude bandages on his arm and head, nothing but darkness around him.

"Hey there Jack. If you're watching this, you've been down on your luck and you need a little push. *sigh* Just know that your past self isn't good at speeches and pep talks, but I'll give it my best."

He takes in a deep breath, and begins.

"You and I both know what we've been through, especially at such a young age. No one that young should ever have to go through even a fraction of what happened. Yes, it was devastating, but we made it. We were given a second chance to do something with our life, let's not let it go to waste. There's been moments in our life where we couldn't deal with it anymore, that we just wanted it to be over. Hell, there'll probably be more after this. But remember, we made a promise. We promised that no matter what happened, we would find the people responsible. We promised to get stronger. For us. For our friends and family.

"For _her._ "

Jackson let out a small smile and ended with this.

"So, like our parents said to us whenever times got tough: Keep moving forward."

With that, the video ended, and the dams had broken as Weiss charged him, tears streaming down her face as she wrapped him in a bear hug that could rival Yang's.

"Jackson *gasp*… It's you, it's really you," she choked out.

He let out a small chuckle. "Of course it's me," he said. "Who else could have pissed you off to the point of murder?"

Weiss laughed a little while still overcome with emotion, her voice wavering as she spoke. "You'd be surprised who I met while you were away."

There was a moment where neither spoke to the other, Weiss still softly sobbing before she broke the silence. "Why didn't you come to us?" she asked.

"Believe me Weiss, I wanted to so bad," he responded. "But we both know what your mom's like, she would've locked me up in a room for the rest of my life after what happened."

"But couldn't you've contacted us, at least me?"

"It's the same situation. If your mom even had a whiff of a possibility I was alive, she would've hunted me down to the ends of Remnant to find me." He paused for a moment before continuing.

"Plus, there was more to it. After what happened, I made a promise to myself. Most of it was explained in the last video you saw. I had dedicated all of my life helping others in any way I could. From small tasks to large ones, I wouldn't hesitate to chip in if I had to. Then that day happened. My family, my friends, all gone, and I couldn't even save one of them. I felt ashamed. I felt like I didn't deserve to show my face to you guys for failing to protect them."

During the explanation, Jackson's voice began to crack, tears welling up in his eyes. But Weiss deserved an explanation, so he continued.

"Something inside me broke. My drive to help others was tainted, my cheerful personality dissolved. I was only a shell of the person I used to be. I still am. All that kept me going was the drive to find the people responsible. If I didn't have that…"

Jackson's throat tightened, nothing but a few squeaks squeezing out.

After a moment, he composed himself. He put on a smile for Weiss.

"But here I am, three years later, still kicking."

Weiss smiled. She knew the smile was a front, but she knew it was meant to ease her.

"I can see that now," she said. "But… Oum it was gut wrenching. We heard what happened on the news, and we got there as soon as we could. When we got there, there was nothing but destruction from where it once stood. We saw burnt houses, bodies littering the street. We.. found your parents. But you were nowhere to be found, so we hoped that you were making your way towards us. We waited a day. A day turned to a week, a week turned to a month. After waiting for so long, we were heartbroken. My mom was a mess, but me…"

She turned into an even bigger mess, all emotions flowing from her. She couldn't even think of it anymore.

Jackson brought her into a hug, rubbing her back, attempting to calm her down.

"Shhhh, shhh. It's okay, I'm here now. I'm okay Weiss, don't worry."

She eventually calmed down, getting a hold of her emotions. After taking a few breaths to level things out, she stood up and held out a hand to Jackson. He gratefully took it and got up off the ground.

But as soon as he got up, he was smacked across the face.

Hard.

He looked at Weiss in shock, a bright red imprint of her hand on his left cheek.

"Jackson Smith Wesson, don't you EVER scare me like that again!"

Jackson's expression quickly turned to a smile. "Love you too, Weiss."

Weiss blushed at what he said. "Sh-Shut up. Let's go get my teamma-"

Weiss froze and her eyes widened. "Oh my god, Ruby and Blake!"

Jackson expressively followed suit. "Oh shit."

They ran over to the couple, Ruby still attached to the tree, tears streaming down her face from the pain, and Blake still clutching her leg, glaring daggers at the incoming teenage boy.

Once he was near them, he was met with a gun pointed at him by none other than Blake herself.

"Get. Back." she growled.

Jackson immediately raised his hands, trying to show he didn't mean to hurt them.

At least, not anymore.

"Woah, hold up," he said. "I'm not here to skin you alive anymore, I just want to help."

"Why should we trust you after what just happened?" she questioned.

"Weiss can vouch for me," he responded. Blake immediately turned towards Weiss, who nodded her head in response.

"I've known him for seven years," she said. "He never would've done this without feeling in danger. Plus, he's been through a lot, more than anyone I know."

Blake held the stare for what felt like an eternity, before breaking it and putting away Gambol Shroud.

"Fine," Blake said. "But if he tries anything, I don't care if you've known him for half your life, he'll end up as brunch for the Grimm."

Jackson nodded and made her way towards her.

"Show me your leg," he asked.

Blake was reluctant to show him the wound, but relented. She stretched out her leg, and Jackson suddenly placed his hands on the wound. This startled Blake, and was about to pull back, before she felt a warm feeling in her leg.

Her wounded leg was outlined with red, and her wound began to close up, appearing to fix itself, with nothing but a faint scar to show that it had been there to begin with.

Blake's eyes bulged at what she just witnessed, but Weiss gave a warming smile, seeing a person she hasn't seen in three years perform what he loved doing.

It seemed the act had taken a toll on Jackson, as he let out a ragged breath. Weiss grew concerned once she saw this. "Jackson, what's wrong?"

"Well," he said. "You and Yang didn't exactly leave me much Aura to work with after your attacks."

"If you're not up to it, then maybe-"

"I have to do this, Weiss. I'm the one that injured these two, I'll be the one to fix it. I'm pretty sure I got one more in me."

He made his way towards Ruby, a few tears still falling down her face for her hand being pinned to a tree. He knelt in front of her, transforming the revolver into bowie form and cutting the arrow close to where her hand was.

He then looked towards Ruby. "Okay Ruby, if you want me to help you, you're gonna have to move your hand out from the arrow. Can you do that?"

Ruby managed to nod in response to his request, but when she tried to move it out, she screamed out and stopped moving it.

"I-I can't," she choked out. "It hurts too much."

Jackson sighed. He was hoping she'd be able to tough it out, but now he has to do it.

"Alright Ruby, I'll do it, but it's going to hurt." He grabbed Ruby's wrist and prepared to pull it out.

"You ready?" She nodded in response. "Okay, on three. One-"

He immediately pulled her hand out, Ruby shrieking at the surprise pain.

She clutched her hand as fresh tears streamed down her face. "WHY DID YOU DO IT ON ONE?!" she shrieked.

Jackson felt guilty, but he felt he had good reason to do so. "I was afraid you would try to resist on three, and make it even worse for yourself. Remember, I'm trying to help you. Everything I do is for your well being."

Ruby was still upset about what happened, but she seemed to accept his answer.

"Alright, now give me your hand," he said.

Ruby held out her hand, fresh blood pouring out of the unoccupied hole in her hand. Jackson reached out and wrapped his hands around hers, and proceeded to do the same thing.

Ruby suddenly felt a warmth wrap around her hand, and just like Blake, there was nothing but a faint scar to show it was ever there. The pain disappeared in seconds.

And Jackson nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

"*ragged breath* Okay, you're all patched up."

Ruby marveled at her hand, eyes still a little red. "*sniff* How did you that?"

Jackson looked at her questioningly. "Do what?" he asked.

"This." She showed her hand, pointing to where the scar was.

It clicked inside Jackson, forgetting that other than Weiss, these girls didn't know about his semblance. "Oh, that," he said. "That's my semblance. I can heal others, as well as plants. I was always referred to as a 'Doctor' of sorts, but I prefer the term Combat Medic."

Ruby's eyes sparkled at that. "Wow, really?! That's so cool! What can you do with it?"

Jackson chuckled at that. Not ten minutes ago he had pinned her to a tree by the hand. Now, it's like she's forgotten the whole thing, and she just made a new friend, trying to get to know him better. He smiled.

"Well, I don't know where to start. Let's see…"

Before he could continue, a large Bullhead flew overhead, and targeted the group of teenagers in the clearing.

A female voice was projected through the Bullhead's speaker system. _"Stop right where you are! You have attempted escape and held four Huntresses-in-training at gunpoint! Surrender now, or you will be met with force!"_

Jackson sighed heavily. Even if he made a run for it, he would have a Bullhead on his ass and Oum knows what kind of force they spoke of.

"Looks like I'll have to save that for later Ruby," he said. "I have some things to clear up with whoever sent the Bullhead."

"Awww," Ruby groaned. She crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks.

Jackson laughed at the small tantrum Ruby had put up. He then turned towards Weiss. "You go flag them down, I'll go get Yang."

"But what if Yang wakes up and she sees you?" she asked.

"Believe me, that tranq is strong enough to put down a pissed off Ursa. She's not waking up anytime soon."

Weiss trusted him on this, and went to go flag it down. Jackson walked over to Yang and heaved her over his shoulder, then proceeded to walk over to the Bullhead. _'Hopefully I don't end up as a prisoner,'_ He thought. _'But even if I did, Weiss should be able to get me out.'_ He paused.

' _Right?'_

He boarded the Bullhead, and the first person he saw was a blonde woman with green eyes, glasses, and sporting a small cape.

She then spoke with a coldness that could snuff out a raging fire. "You, young man, have some explaining to do."

The look she gave was enough to put the fear of Oum into him, and one thought kept going through his head even after they took off towards Beacon.

' _Oh fuck.'_

…

AN: **And that's chapter two! I felt like I did a terrible job describing RWBY DX, but other than that, I think it went pretty well, other than Jackson's, "outburst". Yeah… Be sure to review, follow, or favorite the story if you feel the need to, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	3. A Wondrous Opportunity

AN: **Hey guys, Mtop70 here and welcome back to Dead Man Walking! Before we start I want to give a HUGE shout out to CoolHandJaune, Silvergear and N8iV for favoriting or following the story. Glad to see you guys are enjoying it! Also, RWBY CHIBI! Let's begin!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY**

…

 _Beacon Academy_

 _30 minutes after pickup_

Jackson sat in what seems to be in an office, high above the rest of Beacon. The woman from earlier had escorted him up here, and told him to stay here and wait for a man named Ozpin. She had decided to watch over him should he try anything.

Jackson has never felt more uncomfortable in his life. The woman had been drilling holes into his head ever since he boarded the Bullhead, and she hasn't let up in the slightest.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the elevator had finally opened, letting a man into the office.

He appeared to be an aging man, with grey hair, and green clothing, along with glasses. In one hand, he held a steaming coffee mug, and in the other, a cane, but he didn't look like he needed it. He had an air of authority around him, expecting whatever he says, goes.

"Now Glynda," he said. "We don't want to frighten our guest, now do we?"

The woman apparently named Glynda glared a second at him before huffing and putting it aside. He chuckled, then turned his attention towards Jackson.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked.

Jackson shrugged. "I can only assume you're Ozpin Ms. …"

"Goodwitch," she replied coldly. "Glynda Goodwitch."

"Okay," he said. "I can only assume you're the person named Ozpin Ms. Goodwitch referred to."

"Indeed I am," he said. He walked around the desk and sat in a chair, focusing all his attention at him. "And do you know what I do?"

Jackson could only guess what his occupation was. "Some kind of supervisor over Beacon?"

At this, Ozpin chuckled. "Well, you're not wrong. I'm the headmaster of Beacon Academy, the finest place to teach Huntsmen and Huntresses in training."

Jackson seemed to understand it well enough. With the nod of his head, Ozpin continued. "I've seen what you are capable of, and how quickly you recover, however not in the way I would have rather seen it. Nonetheless, you hold great potential. Tell me, where did you learn to do such attacks?"

"Nowhere, really," responded Jackson. "It was more through trial and error more than anything, figuring out when it's best to attack head on and when it's better to remain hidden."

This seemed to satisfy Ozpin. "Very well. You seem to be old enough, have you graduated from Signal yet?"

The mention of Signal confused Jackson. "Pardon?"

"Signal Academy," he repeated. "Have you graduated yet?"

"Ozpin, I didn't know Signal was an academy before you mentioned it, let alone attend it."

This seemed to throw Ozpin for a loop. "If you didn't attend an academy, how did you get to where you are now?"

"As I said before, trial and error. If I don't hit the wildlife with my arrow, I'd go hungry and would have to figure out where my shot went wrong. As for my revolver, it was just strengthening my arm so the recoil didn't throw it back and knock off my aim."

" _Go hungry…?"_ He thought. "Young man, what is your name?"

"My name is Jackson Smith Wesson," he said.

Something about the name struck Ozpin as familiar. "Now where have I heard that before?" He asked.

A grim expression fell upon Jackson's face. "Let me help you. March 25th, three years ago."

Glynda was confused as to what significance that particular date has, but Ozpin stiffened and his grip on the mug tightened. "You're alive…"

"I've been living in the Emerald Forest for three years," Jackson said.

Ozpin took a moment to compose himself. "That's quite a feat, Mr. Wesson. Why didn't you come to Vale? I'm sure they would've let you in."

"I agree," said Jackson. "But I didn't want to go. If I were to show my face in public back then, I would have been the talk of Vale, and word spreads fast, especially with the CCT. If it were ever to make it to any of the other kingdoms, hell even word around here would have been dangerous enough."

Ozpin suddenly changed expressions, from disbelief to a stern one. "Mr. Wesson, just give me the name of the person who has set out to find you and we'll have them detained immediately."

Jackson's eyes suddenly widened, realizing where he misunderstood him. He raised his hands shaking them. "Nonononono! It's not like that!"

"How so?" He asked.

"Do you know Mrs. Schnee?" Jackson asked.

"Yes, I am quite familiar with her," Ozpin responded.

"Well," Jackson said. "She was a friend of my mother. They were very close, and she came to be my second mother, or aunt in a way. She cared very deeply for me. After the, incident, if she were to find out I lived, she would have hunted me down and locked me up in the Schnee Manor, making sure nothing like that ever happened to me again. She'd have fattened me up, and bake me into a pie. She always did say that she could eat me up, hehe."

Ozpin immediately dropped the expression, and gave him a warm smile. He chuckled and responded to Jackson. "Thank you for clarifying, and yes, she's been known to be overprotective."

Jackson let out a relieved sigh, glad he didn't just put Mrs. Schnee on Vale's Most Wanted list.

"Good," he said. "Now that that's out of the way, why did you want to see me Ozpin? After what I did, literally anyone else would have sent me to the Vale Police Department by now."

"Ah yes, that little fiasco in the woods," he said. "We have cameras planted through the woods within a 3 mile radius of the school. You were on the very outskirts of our cameras, but we saw you nonetheless. After attacking our students, you apparently had a connection with one of them, and seemed to heal the others, while tranquilizing another.

"After the additional information you've given us, I believe you would be a perfect addition to my academy."

Jackson appeared dumbfounded. He had injured two of his students, knocked out another with a dart, damaged school property, and more, yet he wants him to be a part of his school?

"And what if I were to say no?" He asked, fearing he already knew the answer.

A sly grin fell showed on Ozpin's face. "Well, you would he held responsible at the fullest extent of the law. Attacking and injuring two Huntresses in training, incapacitating another, holding them all at gunpoint, saying aggravated threats, and damaging school property, especially after we saved you from bleeding out in the middle of the forest. That adds up to quite a hefty fine and a considerable amount of time in prison if I'm not mistaken."

Jackson sighed heavily. Money was no issue, but he wasn't particularly excited about staying in a prison with old men.

"It was only a hypothetical question. I'll join your academy."

Ozpin smiled. "Good. However, there's still one issue that needs to be resolved."

"And what's that?" Jackson asked.

"Every student that attends is put in a team of four, but because you happen to be a late entry, that leaves you without a team."

Jackson had thought about what he could do, and had an idea. "I could serve as reinforcements, extra muscle for teams should the situation call for it."

Ozpin seemed thoughtful for a moment. "That could work," he said. "Any teams in particular you had in mind?"

"What team does Weiss Schnee belong to?" He asked.

"That would be Team RWBY," Ozpin responded.

"I'll choose that team," Jackson said.

"Very well, and one more team."

"Team RWBY is the only one I know," Jackson said.

"Hmmm," Ozpin said. "Very well, you will be support of Team JNPR as well. You are dismissed."

And with that, Jackson got up from his seat and headed for the elevator.

"Oh, and one more thing, Mr. Wesson," Ozpin called out.

Jackson turned around to look at Ozpin. He had walked out from behind his desk and walked to him, handing him a scroll in the process. "Welcome to Beacon Academy."

Jackson smiled and nodded his head, and entered the elevator.

…

Team RWB sat in the waiting room at the bottom of the tower, waiting for Jackson's return, while Yang was in their dorm, shockingly having regained consciousness. However, she was still drugged beyond belief, and incapable of fitting into human/faunus society during this time.

Ruby and Blake didn't seem too concerned about what was happening, but Weiss was sweating bullets. _'What will happen to him? Will he be sent to jail? I can't let that happen, I just got himbackandnowthey'regonnatakehimawayfrommeTHATCAN'THAPPENIWON'TLETITHAPPENIFTHEYWANNATAKEHIMTOJAILTHEY'REGONNAHAVETOGETTHRO-'_

"Didn't expect to see you guys here."

Her mind came to a halt as she heard Jackson's voice. She turned and saw he just got off the elevator and was walking towards them. A huge weight was lifted off her shoulders, relieved to know he wasn't being sent to prison.

"Yeah, well Weiss wanted to wait for you to see what would happen after the incident in the forest," Blake said. "So what did happen?"

"Well, I've been pardoned of all the crimes I committed out in the forest, that is, unless you two want to press charges. Ozpin said it was fine, but that's not his choice to make."

Ruby was never going to press charges to begin with, and while Blake thought about it for a while, she decided against it since he healed her leg.

But just to be sure, Weiss had given them both a glare that put the fear of Oum into both of them.

They both hastily nodded their heads. "Y-Yeah, no problem!" Ruby said.

"Okay," he said. He turned to walk, but stopped. "Um, guys, where are the dorms?"

The question caught all of them off guard, but after a moment, their minds broke.

"Wait," Weiss said. "You're attending Beacon?"

"Well, not really attending, but forced to join to prevent from being arrested. But yeah, I'll be going to this school."

Weiss grinned from ear to ear. "Oh, this is wonderful!" She exclaimed. "We can catch up, hang out, and so much more!"

"Woah woah waoh!" Said Jackson. "That's fun and all, but I'd rather take it one step at a time, starting with my room."

Weiss deflated a bit. "Oh, yeah, right. Did Ozpin give you a note on where it is?"

"All he said is that Team RWBY would know where it is. After the meeting I was set on finding you guys, but here you are, most likely held against your will by Weiss."

Weiss became flustered while the other two giggled, since it was, in a way, true.

"Sh-Shut up Jackson," she said. "I had to make sure I didn't have to bail you out of prison."

"Okay Weiss," he chuckled. "Anyways, do you have any idea what he's talking about?"

"Well," she said. "There was this one dorm near ours, but no one ever used it because it wasn't meant for a team, only one or two people at a time. *gasp* Is that what he meant?"

Jackson shrugged. "Only one way to find out. Let's head over there."

And with that, they exited the tower and walked towards their dorm.

"Hey Jackson," Ruby said. "You never got to explain how your semblance works back at the forest. Would you mind telling us since we have a while before we reach our dorm?

Jackson smiled. "Sure Ruby. What do you want to know?"

"What can you do with your semblance? What limits does it have?"

Jackson sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. I never had much training when I found out, and my time in the forest never gave me the opportunity to test it out, at least, not properly. Here's what I know.

"Based on my experience with using it, I can heal wounds on humans, faunus, plants, and animals. Now, it only HEALS wounds, that doesn't mean regeneration. If you get a limb cut off, I can only heal the stump on your arm and stop you from bleeding out. The worse the injury, the more Aura it takes up. Plants require much less Aura than an animal or human/faunus. I can heal a variety of wounds: Stab wounds, slashes, limbs cut off, gunshots, broken bones, etc. There are certain attacks that won't allow me to save your life. Any damage done to your brain, and I won't be able to save you, or mutilation beyond repair. However…"

That last bit had caught the attention of the three girls, all of them snapping their heads towards him and surrounding him, preventing him from escaping.

"What do you mean by however?" Blake questioned. "Are you saying…"

Before Jackson could answer, Ruby let out an audible gasp. "YOU CAN BRING PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE?!" She exclaimed.

Jackson's eyes bulged out of his head and desperately tried to derail her train of thought. "Waitwaitwaitwaitwait!"

This got Ruby's attention, as she looked at him, wondering what could have caused his outburst.

Jackson had to go into full detail. "Yes, I can revive other living things, but it's not as easy as you think. Plants are no issue whatsoever, but animals and humans are a different story. Certain injuries can take up a fair portion of my Aura, but death is in a league of its own. There are too many variables that affect it, all of it complex beyond my if I were to understand it all, there's no guarantee that I would even be able to pull it off. To bring someone back would put me under extreme mental and physical strain, draining me of every drop of Aura I contain, and I don't know what would happen afterwards. You could die again next week, you could die again within the hour. All I know is after the body shuts down, brain activity still continues for a few minutes afterwards. That is the one and only chance I have at saving that person. Jump starting the body is an extremely difficult task, and any injuries sustained make it that much more difficult. If you die of blood loss, I have to go through the effort of closing the wound, healing any injuries you sustained,getting your body to produce the amount of blood you lost, and somehow get it flowing again, all within the time frame of five minutes, maximum. I've only ever tried it on animals and pets, and it would leave me drained or passing out from exhaustion. And it wouldn't even work half of the time! Resurrection is a dangerous ability to explore Ruby, and I don't ever want to, on or off the field."

After hearing what he said, Ruby and the others were utterly silent, suddenly depressed.

"I-I'm sorry Jackson," Ruby quietly said.

Jackson sighed. "It's alright Ruby, you were excited and you didn't know. Besides, I might be capable of more."

Ruby suddenly lit up, as well as the others. "Really?" She asked.

Jackson nodded. "I only ever used my healing abilities, and never really experimented with my semblance in other situations. I always felt like I was missing something, I just don't know what. Plus, I wouldn't even know where to start."

Blake decided to join in on the conversation. "So, part of your semblance is healing, does that have any effect on you?"

Jackson snapped his fingers. "Oh shit, I forgot! As an added bonus, my semblance speeds up my healing process more than others, with little to no Aura used. However, it only kicks in when injuries start to become very lethal, so small cuts and bruises stay and heal at a normal rate, along with other injuries to that degree. It also comes with the same restrictions that it has with others. And there's always that point where my sped up healing process can't save me in time. After having my ass handed to me countless times by Grimm, especially when you guys found me, I got used to it. Why did you bring that up anyway?"

"When he took us to your room, he said that you'd be stuck in there for two months. Yet here you are, up and running after only a week in the bed," said Blake.

"Yeah well, I was always a stubborn kid. An injury wasn't going to keep me down for long. Plus, I was kind of pushing it back there. My body was still pretty tender when I made a break for it."

There was a moment of silence, before Jackson spoke up. "Hey, Ruby?"

"Yes?" She said.

"Um, exactly how old are you? You said you were the team leader, and well… You look pretty young to be leading these guys."

Instead of taking offense to it, she sheepishly smiled and responded. "Yeah, I'm pretty young, 15 to be exact. I was accepted early into Beacon because of my skill level, and picking the leaders was up to Ozpin. I remember Yang telling me how special I was and how I was gonna be the bee's knees. But I'm shy around others, especially in my position, so I just wanted to be a normal girl with normal knees."

Jackson chuckled at her predicament. "Yeah, I know how you feel. When I found out about my semblance, I immediately became the talk of the village, and came to be the youngest doctor to ever live."

Ruby smiled at that, and even let out a small giggle. "Must be nice of people talking about you like that, huh Jackson?"

"That's Dr. Jackson to you, young lady. I didn't accidentally stumble across my semblance to go without a proper title."

Ruby and the others laughed. They continued to talk afterwards, speaking of hobbies and personal interests. Eventually, they made their way to what they presumed was Jackson's dorm room.

"Where's the scroll Ozpin gave you?" Weiss asked.

Jackson reached into his pocket and pulled out his scroll, handing it to Weiss. She took it and held it against the door, hearing an audible click. But before they could enter, an audio recording played from the scroll.

"Hello, Mr. Wesson. I see you've found your dorm room. Inside, you will find a school uniform to attend your classes in. As for your acceptance into Beacon, at some point, you will have to perform the initiation all first year students go through to prove themselves. As for when it will occur, well, that has yet to be determined. Nonetheless, you will be notified once we settle on a date and time. You've been given a wondrous opportunity, Jackson. I hope to see it not go to waste."

And with that, the audio cuts out. Jackson decided to ask the girls a question. "Um, guys, what exactly is the initiation?"

Ruby was the first to answer his question. "The initiation causes you to get launched out into the forest and retrieve a relic. But usually it's to form teams, and I don't know what they'll have for you. They don't tell you where it's located, and you have to fight through Grimm to get to it. Once you have the relic, you head back towards the academy and present it to Ozpin or Goodwitch to prove you did it."

Jackson understood it well enough, and he basically knew the forest like the back of his hand, so to him it should be a simple ta-

"Wait, did you say we get LAUNCHED into the forest?"

"Yeah, is there a problem?" Ruby asked.

"No, nothing like that. It just surprises me that a school would fling their students into a Grimm infested forest, leaving them a minute to come up with a landing strategy."

"Yeah well, that's the case in some situations," said Blake. "Sometimes you don't have the luxury of being relaxed, and there's always those split-second decisions that will either make it or break it."

Jackson couldn't argue, he's been in that situation more than once. Although most of the time, it would either break it or kill him.

"Anyways," Blake said. "Let's check out your room." They all agreed and entered the dorm room.

The room itself was just like any other, except it was smaller, meant to accompany one or two instead of four. It wa quite barebones, with only a desk, wardrobe, and a single bed, with a uniform sitting on top.

"It's not much," Jackson said. "But it'll feel more like home once I move some of my things into here."

"When do you plan on getting your stuff?" Ruby asked.

"Right now," he said.

"But it's a school night, all of the docks are closed by now," Ruby said.

"Bullheads don't drop people off where I'm going, just point me to the northeast region of the Emerald Forest, and I'll be on my way."

"The closest settlement outside of Vale's walls is an hour away by Bullhead," said Blake. "Where could you possibly go to retrieve your things?"

Now they were starting to ask the right questions, but they were questions Jackson wasn't willing to answer just yet.

"You'll know when I feel like the time is right, but for now, you're gonna have to keep guessing."

Ruby was upset, but she understood. Blake, on the other hand, didn't take it as well. "Why are you keeping secrets from us? We saved your life, shouldn't you repay the favor by opening up more?"

Jackson clenched his fists, his eyes manic. Luckily Weiss saw this and stepped in to calm things down.

"Okay, no need to get angry. How about this, I'll go with Jackson to go get his things. He knows me, he trusts me, and I trust him. Will that work?"

Blake agreed with the idea. "Yeah, that'll work."

"Good. Jackson, how about you? Jackson?"

Jackson was having a difficult time collecting himself, as he was still glaring daggers at Blake, his knuckles turning white. But after a moment, he came back down to Remnant and took a deep breath.

"I'm fine with that idea Weiss. Let's go, so we don't stay out any longer than we should."

Weiss let out a relieved sigh, thankful it didn't get out of hand. With a nod of her head, her and Jackson left to go retrieve his belongings.

…

 _Emerald Forest_

 _30 Minutes After Departure_

Jackson and Weiss were walking through the forest, Weiss mainly on alert the entire time, while Jackson didn't seem as cautious, but rather taking the time to enjoy the scenery around him.

After walking for a few minutes, Weiss finally spoke up. "Jackson, what happened back there? Why wouldn't you tell them where you live?"

Jackson froze for a moment, then sighed. "It's not that I'm ashamed of my living space. I used to live in a village, we didn't care about aesthetics. It's what I have inside of it that I don't want them to see. Plus, if things don't work out at Beacon,I'd rather they don't come looking for me."

"But you asked them to point you to the northeast region of the Emerald Forest," Weiss said.

"Which is why we're going to the northwest region," Jackson responded.

"What?!" Weiss exclaimed. "Since when were we headed northwest?!"

"Since about 20 minutes ago," Jackson replied. "You were too focused looking at your surroundings you never noticed me change direction."

"Hmph," Weiss huffed. "Someone has to, you were too busy looking at the sky, off in your own little world."

"Oh, I wasn't just looking at the sky, Weiss."

She gave him a confused look, not understanding what he said.

That is, until she looked up.

High up in the trees, she could make out a faint glow, most of it covered by the multiple branches and leaves obscuring it. She turned to Jackson, hoping for an explanation, but only got a grin from him.

After a minute, she began to grow impatient. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

To answer her question, a growl resonated from some nearby bushes.

"That," Jackson said.

Suddenly, a pair of beady red eyes glowed from the darkness, the body still covered in the shadows. Weiss immediately pulled out her rapier, ready to blast the damn thing to oblivion, but Jackson grabbed it and pushed it away.

"Don't!" He exclaimed. "Put it away, and just trust me on this."

Weiss gave him a shocked look, questioning his sanity, but she relented and put it away.

"Thank you," he said, and walked toward the shadowed figure.

"Hey Beanie," he said.

' _BEANIE?!'_ She mentally shrieked. _'HE NAMED THE FUCKING THING?!'_

She heard a whine come out, and Jackson sheepishly looked away. "Sorry, the last hunting trip I took didn't go so well. But I'm fine now, so don't worry about it."

More growls. "Oh, her? She's a friend of mine, don't worry. I've known her for years."

Growls. "Hey, she's the first girl, or person really, that I brought here. Don't go and try to scare her off."

She then heard what she could only guess was a cackle. Jackson looked pissed and disgusted. "You've got a filthy mind, you know that? Whatever, we're just here to grab some things, alright? In and out. I'll see you later."

And with that, the figure left, leaving the two teenagers alone once again.

Weiss was befuddled at what had just occurred. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" She demanded.

"I made sure you didn't get eaten," he responded casually, making her head spin even more.

"Where did- How did- When did-"

"Look," he interrupted. "I know you have a million questions running through your mind, but you'll have to save them for when the next chapter comes out."

Weiss' head practically popped off her neck from all the spinning it's done. In the end, she just gave up and let out a heavy sigh. "You are so weird, you know that?"

"You've known me for seven years, and NOW you just found out?"

Weiss smiled and laughed a little. "Whatever, just show me how we get up there."

Now it was Jackson's turn to smile. "Follow me."

In an instant, he hopped up onto a low branch, and began hopping from branch to branch like a monkey in his natural habitat.

He was already halfway up before Weiss could even conquer the second branch. Weiss gave up and said, "Forget this."

She pulled out her rapier and placed a glyph under her, one powerful enough to propel her upwards to the treehouse. Once she was up there, she gawked at the sight before her.

The treehouse was well made, consisting of the wood from the Emerald Forest, but professionally cut and put together. It had a wooden door and windows, no jagged edges or random boards jutting out from the shelter. There were fire dust lanterns, inside and out, giving off an orange glow and all of them radiating heat, making it feel nice and cozy. But she had yet to see the inside.

Upon approaching the door, it was flung open by Jackson from the inside. "Well don't just stand there, come in!"

She obliged and set foot into his home. What she saw was even more appalling.

The whole thing was one giant room, neatly kept, with quite a bit of furniture inside. A bit more crudely made, but sturdy nonetheless. Chairs, tables, benches, and drawers were inside, also made from the forest surrounding them.

But what caught her eye was what was on the opposite side of the room.

A giant board had been put up, with pictures, strings, push pins, and sticky notes covering the entire thing. Under it there was a desk, with plastic bags on it. Upon closer inspection, the bags contained a variety of items: Bullet casings, metal weapon components, shards, and broken swords. Weiss was the only person from her team, maybe in all of Vale, to know what all of this was, and it worried her greatly.

"Is this what you've been doing for the last three years?" She asked.

Jackson looked up from his drawer to see what she was talking about, and slightly cringed. "Basically," he responded. "I've started since day one, and I haven't stopped looking for who was responsible for it."

"And how much do you know?"

"Only as much as the police in Vale are willing to release to the public. I have my suspicions, but I don't have any hard evidence to back it up."

"What about your memories?" She asked.

"It's getting better, but I still only have fragments of what occurred that day, and no real major moments in it. Gunfire, screams, roars, burning, destruction… blood. But that's it. All the major key events are still locked away."

Weiss looked back at the board, silently thinking about this. She wanted to find the people who did this just as much as him, but at what cost? How far is she willing to go to find them?

Before Weiss' train of thought could go any further, she was interrupted by Jackson. "Alright, that's all of it, we should start heading back now."

She turned around and saw that Jackson had a duffel bag over his shoulder, prepared to leave.

"What did you decide to take with you?" She asked.

"Not much, some spare clothes, books, posters and pictures. Enough to spruce up the place."

Weiss nodded and proceeded to follow him out of the treehouse, back to Beacon.

…

 _Beacon Halls_

Weiss and Jackson had made it back to Beacon, belongings in tow. On the way back, the two had decided to catch up, see what had happened in the three years they were apart. Jackson left out a few things, for her sake, and Weiss had informed him she was now heiress to the SDC. This made Jackson's eyes widen in surprise.

"You're the heiress?" He asked. "How come they didn't give that title to Winter?"

"By the time she was old enough to take over the company, she had already joined Atlas Special Forces, making it nearly impossible for her to do it. So, I was next in line."

"Speaking of which, why are you all the way out here? Why didn't you stay close to home, close to friends and family, and join the academy they had over there? Why travel all this distance to attend a different school?"

Weiss sighed. "All my life, I was told what to do, how to act. I was being molded into my father's image. Although it inadvertently came with the title, I didn't want that. I wanted to be my own person, make my own choices. To attend school back home would mean I would always have my father looking over my shoulder and have an indirect, yet large, effect on what I did. And I didn't want, nor need that."

Jackson understood where she was coming from. His parents were very overprotective of him, and they tried their best to keep him out of harm's way. But no matter how hard they tried, he would always find a way around it.

They finally made it back to their dorms, just as the time reached 10:30 pm.

"It's getting late," Jackson said. "We should go to sleep, we both have classes tomorrow."

"Yeah," Weiss replied, agreeing with his statement. She went to reach for her door, but paused for a moment before turning around and wrapping Jackson in a tight hug.

"I'm glad you're okay," Weiss whispered. "I've really missed you." Tears were threatening to burst out again.

Jackson was surprised at first, but almost immediately returned the hug. "I've missed you too, Weiss," Jackson responded. "But I'm here now, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon. Plus, we've got all the time in the world to hang out with each other."

"Promise?" Weiss asked, looking up to him with almost pleading eyes.

Jackson gave her a warm smile. "Promise."

Weiss returned the smile, and gave him a quick squeeze before letting go and entering her dorm. "Goodnight, Jackson."

"Goodnight, Weiss," Jackson replied. The door closed and he was left alone in the hallway. He then entered his room and tossed the duffel bag in the corner.

But before tossing it, he reached in and pulled out a photo, one taken a long time ago. He flopped onto the bed and stared at the photo.

It was an old picture of him and Weiss, when they were 12 years old, two years into their long lasting friendship. Both of them were in aprons, covered head to toe in paint from a paint brush battle they had endured earlier before. Each of them was holding a painting of the other, Weiss proving to be superior in painting skills. For a 12 year old, she had amazing talents with a brush. Jackson's was also well made, but it paled in comparison to the detail Weiss had put into hers, and she finished before Jackson did. But they didn't care who was better, each of them had a large smile on their face, proud of their work, and proud of their bond with each other.

Jackson could only smile as he looked at the picture, a single tear rolling down his cheek, recalling fond memories.

"I'll find a way to make up for lost time Weiss," he said.

He soon fell into a deep sleep, one he hasn't had in a year. And it was all thanks to Weiss.

"I promise."


	4. First Day

AN: **Hey guys, welcome back to another chapter of Dead Man Walking! Sorry if this chapter and the ones that follow take longer to publish, school is coming to a close and now I'm being bombarded with projects. But I'm giving it my best, enjoy!**

Disclaimer: **I do not own RWBY or any songs that may have been used within the story.**

…

 _Jackson's Dorm_

 _The Next Day_

Not once in three years has Jackson slept as deep as this. His body stayed while his mind and soul was elsewhere up in the clouds, chosen by Odin himself, feasting on mutton in the halls of Valhalla, surrounded by beautiful women.

No wonder Weiss was having so much trouble trying to wake him up.

Jackson had left his door unlocked the night before, and she wanted to make sure he made a good first impression on his teachers. At this rate, he'd be lucky to stay in the classroom.

After many attempts at waking up Jackson, Weiss sighed. She pulled out her scroll, put on a song, placed it on his nightstand, and walked out.

' _If this doesn't work, he's officially in a coma,'_ Weiss thought.

She walked out of his dorm and headed back to her own. Upon entering, she saw the rest of her team in their uniforms, Ruby and Blake fully alert while Yang more groggy than the others.

"Where's Jackson?" Asked Ruby. "Weren't you going to wake him up?"

Weiss held up a finger in response. "Wait for it."

As if on cue, music started playing in the room next to theirs. It was muffled, but they could still make it out:

" _I can't stop this feeling_

 _Deep inside of me_

 _Girl, you just don't realize_

 _What you do to me"_

RBY was confused as to why there was music playing, and turning to Weiss, all they saw was an extremely irritated look on her face. "Is that-"

"Blue Swede, yes," Weiss replied coldly.

" _When you hold me_

 _In your arms so tight_

 _You let me know_

 _Everything's alright"_

"Wow Weiss, I didn't take you for the type to listen to this kind of music," Blake said.

"It's not for me," Weiss responded.

Before they could question her further:

" **AAAAAHAAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAAIIIIIII'M HOOKED ON A FEELING! I'M HIGH ON BELIEVING, THAT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"**

The extreme outburst startled everyone, with Weiss only flinching. "It's for him," she said. She walked back into his dorm, retrieving her scroll and dragging a now dressed Jackson back into her own.

Ruby took the bait. "Um, what was all that about?"

Weiss sighed. "Ever since we met, Jackson has had an unbreakable connection with that song. I don't know why or how, but if he hears even a single note of it, it will snap him out of whatever state he is in, and make it a mission to find where it's coming from. Hell, he'd probably rise from the grave if you played it near his tombstone."

Jackson let out a sheepish smile. "Hehe, I suppose I do have an obsession of sorts with the song. I even have the original cassette, along with a cassette player."

Yang let out a loud yawn and looked at Jackson, color leaving his face as he remembered what happened. His legs tensed up as he was getting ready to bolt, but what happened next threw him off. Instead of a rampaging blonde brawler after his blood, she gave him a questioning look.

"Yo Weiss, who's the new dude?" Yang asked.

Of the many things Jackson expected for this to go, this was not one of them. He shot Weiss a confused look, hoping for an explanation.

Weiss understood and elaborated. "Yang's gotten the drugs out of her system, but the last 24 hours is a complete blur to her. It'll come back sometime around lunch, so try to remember that."

Jackson let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. In that case," Jackson held out his hand. "I'm Jackson Wesson, we've met before." Yang will still be pissed once it comes back to her, but by showing her he's not out to murder them, hopefully it will cool her down when it happens.

Yang smiled and took his hand. "Nice to meet you, I'm Yang Xiao Long. I must have met you yesterday then, because I don't remember you before that. You seem like a cool dude."

' _That won't last for long, I know that much,'_ Jackson grimly thought. He could only imagine what will happen when she regains her memories. And none of them were pretty.

' _Eh, I'll burn that bridge when I get to it.'_

"Hey guys, we should be heading to class now," Ruby called out. Sure enough, Jackson checked his scroll, and realized they all had 10 minutes to get to their first class.

"Oh shit, yeah you're right," Jackson said. "We should start heading there. And by we, I mean I'll follow you to whatever class you guys have."

They smiled and rolled their eyes as they led Jackson to their first class.

…

The walk to first period was uneventful, only small talk to pass the time. Jackson mostly kept to himself, not talking unless asked directly. They finally made it to their first class, and Jackson saw who he suspected to be the teacher.

He was a burly man, short, large overall, with bushy eyebrows and a mustache that every man hopes to achieve. All of his visible hair was grey, and his clothing was a rustic red with a gold color on his buttons and cuffs on his jacket, as well as the outline.

The man noticed Jackson, and his voice boomed throughout the classroom as he called him over. "Ah, you must be the new student Professor Ozpin spoke to me about! Come here, young man!"

Jackson was hesitant, but relented and walked over to the teacher. He held out his hand which the man took rather cheerfully.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, young lad! My name is Peter Port, and what might your name be?"

"J-Jackson Wesson," he responded. Mr. Port seems like a nice guy, and he doesn't want to start off on the wrong foot.

"Well, Mr. Wesson," Port said. "I look forward to having you in my class."

Jackson smiled, and headed back to the girls. By the time he got back, other students started trickling in. After a few minutes, the classroom had filled up, and the group had taken their seats close to the front of the classroom.

Mr. Port took the stage and began. "Welcome students! Now, before we start today's lesson, there is someone I'd like you to meet. Would you please stand up Mr. Wesson?"

Jackson froze at the sound of his name, hating being the center of attention. He slowly stood up for the class to see him, dying on the inside.

' _aS IF i WasN't aLreAdY.'_

"This is Jackson Wesson, he's a new student attending Beacon. He'll be alongside all of you, used as support should the situation desperately call for it, but will be mainly used for Teams RWBY and JNPR. Let me be the first to welcome you to this prestigious academy. You may be seated."

Jackson gratefully took his seat as Professor Port began his lesson, letting out his breath that he didn't even know he was holding. Once he sat down, Ruby leaned over to him. "Geez Jackson, you froze up when he called you. What happened?"

Jackson let out a small groan. "I always hated being the center of attention. Most of the time it was due to my semblance, but I never made a big deal out of it. It was always to help others, not for my own personal gain, so it feels weird whenever I get praised for something that involves saving someone's life or limb, because it's never about me, it was always about them, those that needed my help."

Ruby smiled at his response. She knew people that would do it for the glory or reward that came with it. Yang wanted to help others, sure, but she's an adrenaline junkie through and through, and becoming a huntress was her best shot at getting her daily dose. Blake saw Beacon as a way to redeem herself for what she did before, all the sins she committed, and fix her past mistakes. Weiss was one of the few she knew to help others without reason to do so. She's heiress to the SDC, has more money than she knows what to do with, and could have everything handed to her on a silver platter at the snap of her fingers. Yet, she travels a great distance to attend an academy to help those in need, even though it isn't required to fill her role as future CEO.

She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've come to the right place, Jackson. Sometimes the world isn't like a fairy tale with happy endings. But that's why we're here, to make it better."

Jackson smiled at her. "Thanks, Ruby. You may be young, but you're a lot more mature than most adults I know. You'll make a great team leader."

She blushed at the praise she was receiving, but managed to blurt out a response. "T-Thanks Jackson."

He chuckled at her behavior. She's acting just like him when he lived in the village, cracking under the compliments. But he really meant what he said, he could see why she was appointed leader, and he has yet to see her in combat. Not only that, but accepted two years prior than originally planned. Jackson thought she must be exceptional either academically or in combat to achieve such a feat. Plus, she's quite-

' _Don't you dare.'_

What do you mean?

' _I know where you're going with this, and I forbid it!'_

YOU CAN'T HIDE IT FROM ME, IT'S WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE.

' _SHE'S JUST A FRIEND, NOTHING MORE!'_

LIES AND SLANDER! YOU AND I BOTH KNOW SHE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE SOMETHING MORE!

' _...'_

…

' _...'_

…

' _It's only a thought. There's Weiss as well, not just her.'_

I knew it.

' _Fuck you.'_

Jackson was now in a sour mood, madly blushing after our bickering, heh heh. Ruby noticed his change in expression, and was concerned as to what happened, but never got the chance as Jackson's name rang out throughout the classroom.

"Mr. Wesson! Would you kindly come up to the stage, please?" Professor Port called out.

Jackson froze in place to process what he just said. After a moment, he composed himself and walked up to the stage, standing next to Port.

"Since you've been accepted into Beacon, you must have exceptional combat skills, because I'm quite certain you didn't get here through academics. You possessed a stare long enough to circle Remnant, my dear boy."

Rather than become flustered, Jackson let out a laugh, confusing Port as well as the other students. "Well, you're not wrong, Professor. I take it you'll have me prove my might?"

"And where would you get such a conclusion, Mr. Wesson?"

"There's a rumbling crate right behind you."

Sure enough, as he turned around, a large crate was shaking and rumbling, menacing growls coming from the inside.

Meanwhile the rest of the classroom had their jaw on the floor.

"I'm impressed," said Port. "Almost no one notices me put it there. Nevertheless, yes, I wish to see you in combat against Grimm. So, go change into your combat gear, retrieve your weapon, and come back so we can begin."

Jackson nodded and left the classroom to go get changed. After five minutes, he returned to the stage, in new clothing, but a similar style to before his old clothes was torn beyond recovery.

He wore a black hoodie with the sleeves rolled up just above the crook of his elbow. He wore black slim fit pants, along with black combat boots for footwear. He had a holster on his right hip, holding a ridiculously large revolver inside. Nothing about his attire was flashy or held any type of armor against Grimm. Rather, it was laid back and looked comfortable. The all black attire caused his eyes to stick out like two shining beacons, and like moths with a flame, they were all drawn towards it, encaptured by its golden glow.

Jackson took notice of this and blushed, but quickly pushed it out of his mind and steeled himself.

Professor Port pulls out a combination of a blunderbuss and a battle axe. "Let the match-" He slams it down on the lock, opening the crate and releasing the Grimm. "Begin!"

The front wall burst off as a beowolf charged it's way center stage. It took a moment to observe its surroundings, and noticed Jackson as being the immediate threat. Letting out a growl, it got on all fours and charged him. He spread his legs out, put himself lower to the ground, and taunted the Grimm to come and get him.

Right before it was on top of him, he dives forwards and goes under the beowolf, throwing the Grimm off and leaving it in a confused state.

Enough for Jackson to unholster his weapon and open fire.

The first bullet was enough to kill it, but he unloaded the entire cylinder on it, each one ripping large chunks from it, until only a mutilated corpse remained. Not that it really mattered, the remains quickly dissipated afterwards.

"Well done Mr. Wesson!" Port exclaimed. "We have a true Hunter in training within our midst! That will be all, read the assigned chapters, and I expect an essay on my desk the next time we have class."

They all rose from their seats and made their way out of the classroom, Team RWBY waiting for Jackson outside once he changed into his uniform.

He soon exited in his uniform and met up with Team RWBY.

"Nice job taking care of that Grimm," Blake said. "But wasn't that a bit excessive?"

"I had to relieve some stress," Jackson replied. "And blowing that Grimm to hell was the best way of doing it."

The girls nodded and made their way to their next class. The halls were buzzing with life, friends talking to one another, people filling the hallways, students desperately studying or rushing for their next class. This is what life was for people his age, for them, this had become routine until graduation.

It felt wrong.

All these people had practiced and trained to get into this academy. They spent years studying and figuring out their combat style, planning out their life. That's not how he got here, he was found in a puddle of his own blood on his deathbed in the middle of the forest. Ozpin knew of his… predicament, and whether he was impressed with how long he survived out there, or it was a pity admission, he'll never know. Either way, he had a feeling he didn't belong here. He's severely unprepared, academically mainly, and his combat style may need to be adjusted as well, so as to not kill anyone.

Jackson was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the group stop in front of a classroom and continued walking. If they hadn't called out his name, he probably would have lapped the whole school.

"Jackson, where are you going?!" Ruby called out.

The shout snapped him out of his trance and he made his way back to the group.

"Sorry about that," he said. "I spaced out for a minute or two. So, what class is this?"

"This is Professor Oobleck," Weiss said. "He's the history teacher that will go over all of Remnants history, from the discovery of Dust, to the Great War."

At the mention of History, Jackson's face had lost color. "Fuck."

"What's wrong?" Blake asked.

"I was home schooled. I was quite gifted in Math and Writing, so I was taught the more advanced portions of it. History, however, never struck me as interesting. The only thing that stuck out was the weapons used in The Great War. But other than that, nothing."

The group visibly cringed at what he said. "Ooh, you're not gonna enjoy this class then," Yang said. "Oobleck's a history nut, getting a question incorrect is basically the same as stabbing him. He won't show it, but you'll notice a definite change of behavior between you guys from then on."

Jackson mentally prepared himself and let out a breath. "Well, my luck hasn't run out yet. Let's head on in."

They nodded their heads and walked in. Little did Jackson know what awaited him on the other side.

They made their way in, and what they saw caused Jackson to lose all life in his body.

Taking center stage was a man that can only be described as a blur. Towers of paper stacked his desk, notes, maps, and documents pinned against is board. Only when he stood still for a second could you fully see him.

His clothing was in disarray, his shirt only half tucked in, and a coffee mug in hand, holding a seemingly eternal amount of coffee. He had glasses that prevented you from seeing his eyes. His hair was green, all spiky and was the most notable thing, when a blur and still.

Before he knew it, the professor was a foot from his face, startling him and causing him to jump back in surprise and fear.

" !" Oobleck said in one single short breath. He said it so fast that Jackson had barely processed it before he began to speak again. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young man. I am Professor Oobleck, History Teacher of Beacon Academy! I am the man that makes it a certainty that any student that walks into my classroom learns from our history, lest they be doomed to repeat it. Nonetheless, Team RWBY will assist you in the upcoming assignments and summarize what I have already taught within the unit."

"Thank you, Mr. Oobleck," Jackson said. Team RWBY gave a silent nod and made their way to their seats. The rest of the class trickled into the classroom, soon filling up with students. As the last of them took their seat, Oobleck did not hesitate to get today's lesson underway.

"Welcome back students," Oobleck said. "I hope you all did the assigned readings and have your essay to turn in, I expect it on my desk by the end of the period. Now! For those of you that were absent the last few classes, or lacked the attention span to learn from our past mistakes, we had begun a new unit, looking back at old and recent events and breaking them down in hopes of finding out how it happened, why it happened, and what could have been done to either prevent or complete it. Allow me to summarize what we already discussed."

It was at that point he had completely lost Jackson.

He was prepared to take notes to lessen the catching up he had to do, but the second he opened his mouth to summarize, he was left in the dust before he could even put his pencil against the knew any attempt to write anything down was futile, so he just tried to remember as much as he could while he spoke. He was too focused on Oobleck to look at the others, but they as well made no effort to write anything down, other than Weiss.

Finally, Oobleck had finished with his summary. Jackson felt mentally drained trying to keep up with the Professor. It was enough to have him begging for sleep.

But that would disappear in a flash for what came next.

"Now, we've done ancient battles during the Great War, let us analyze some more recent events that occurred, a real challenge… Ah! I've got one! March 25th, three years ago."

Weiss lost her grip on her pencil, causing it to fall to the floor, and her face becoming more pale than it already is. Jackson's eyes shot open, and he stood straight, a cold, dead expression on his face. He knew what was coming, there's no way it's anything else. Blake also behaved oddly once she heard that, but no one noticed.

"Now, three years ago, there was a village in the Emerald Forest, not too far away from the walls of Vale. Sadly, it no longer stands. Does anyone know why?"

Shockingly, of all the people to answer, Jackson raised his hand. "The village was attacked, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake."

"Very good Mr. Wesson!" Oobleck complimented. "Now, this village, along with every other nearby, was sent semi annual supply drops, containing weapons and ammunition, enough to defend themselves from attackers. So, what happened?"

Again, it was Jackson to answer the question. "The village claimed to be self-reliant, refusing any help the city was willing to give them, but Vale was not deterred. They would continue to send them supply drops, but most likely it remained in their crates, merely collecting dust."

"Correct again, Mr. Wesson!" Oobleck said. "No Huntsmen were in the immediate vicinity when the village was attacked, so nothing could be done to assist them, because sending aid would have been for nothing, as the fight would've already been over once the arrived. Can anyone tell me who attacked them, and if there were any survivors?"

"Mr. Oobleck," Jackson said. "No one really knows what or who exactly attacked them. Rumors have floated about, claiming it was Grimm, the White Fang, or that it was an inside job, a group of radicals that destroyed it. As for survivors, it is clear to say that no one survived the ordeal. Only skeletal remains are what were found at the scene, bits of meat and blood still stuck to the bone, whether it was a Grimm attack or it happened after the slaughter, can't be said. Either way, it made it impossible to identify almost every person or faunus that lived within the village, only a handful containing enough data to determine who it was, but of no significant importance to anyone or anything. However, there was a single set of tracks leading away from the village and into the forest. Vale conducted a full scale search and rescue for the missing person, but after a month of searching, they called off the search, fearing the poor soul didn't even last the first week. That made it impossible for them to receive an eyewitness account of the event, and any potential clues as to what happened and who was responsible. By that point it was official: A full village was wiped off the face of Remnant by an unknown force."

The last portion caused Weiss' grip on the counter top in front of her to tighten, knuckles whitening, tears threatening to escape once more. She knew what Jackson had been through, but it was no less difficult for her, sitting on the sidelines, letting it all happen, allowing him to go through all that without someone to care about you.

"Ah, but that's where it gets interesting, for you see Mr. Wesson, the Vale Police Department received a radio signal the day of the attack."

Jackson's heart lurched in his chest as he heard this, but kept himself composed on the outside.

"Although I'll admit it wasn't a long, nor clear message sent to us. Poor signal and constant static made most of the message undecipherable, but a few keywords were plucked out of it. Allow me to show you."

Oobleck pulled out his scroll, and attached it to a speaker, loud enough for everyone to hear.

" _*static* HELP! We- *static* assistance at our vill- *static* White Fang have- *static* at our location as wel- *static* please, send someone, anyone! We need he- *BANG*_

 _*static*"_

The classroom fell silent, not because lack of interest, the radio message piqued their interest. It was what occurred it the message and the context causing the silence.

Oobleck broke the silence. "As you can see class, the message was unable to provide sufficient information, but what we can get from it is that the White Fang had taken part in the attack. The only issue is, all activity within that space has ceased completely. The White Fang have managed a clean getaway with the destruction of a village, and leaving us nothing to continue the search. Now, I present you all with the same question: What could've been done to stop it? Should the village have relied on us more and the supplies given, or was there nothing that could've been done to save them from their path of destruction?"

The bell rang, and Jackson immediately got up and quickly left.

"That's the bell! Read chapters 48-62 and give me a summary of it by next class period! Thatisallclassdismissed!"

Weiss did not waste a second chasing after Jackson once dismissed. The rest of RWBY followed suit.

By the time they exited the class, Jackson was already down the hall, heading for the nearest exit.

"Jackson, wait!" Weiss exclaimed. He paused for a moment before turning around, revealing slightly puffy pink eyes. The others noticed as well and were slightly worried, Ruby more so than the others.

"Weiss, just let me deal with it on my own," Jackson said. "It's lunchtime, right? I shouldn't even be around you guys when you-know-what happens. Besides, I'm not that hungry and I have to go check on something. See you later."

And with that, he turned and exited the hallway, leaving a distressed Weiss and a worried RBY.

…

Jackson had changed into his regular clothing, holster and all, standing at the cliffs above the Emerald Forest. He stood there, looking out into the seemingly eternal field of green. Emotions were building up inside him, the biggest one being rage. Eventually he reached his limit, and let out a blood curdling scream that made its way to the heavens. Suddenly, he jumped off the cliff side, plummeting straight towards the trees. He didn't show any sign of slowing down, rather, it looked like he was trying to speed up. During his plummet, he put as much Aura he could spare into his right shoulder as he could muster, as well as putting some into the entire right side of his body, and rammed himself into the cluster of trees below.

He smashed through the trees, wood flying all over the area. He continued to crash through trees until he crashed his way into a clearing, practically burying himself as he impacted the ground. He slowly got up out of his little hole, and and began to brush himself off.

Or at least tried to with a dislocated arm.

Jackson sighed. He should've seen this coming, but his mind was clouded with fury that he wanted to get down here as fast as he could, regardless of injuries, to start killing Grimm.

Nonetheless, what's done is done, and now he had to put it back in place. His less dominant arm wouldn't be able to properly put it back in place, so he had to go with the next best thing.

He used his left arm to place his right where the joints meets the socket, and looked for the closest thing to ram the palm of his hand against, in hopes of gaining enough force to pop it back in place. He put Aura into his wrist, so as to not break it when his palm hits the tree. He took in a breath, and ran to the tree, preparing himself.

 _POP!_

Jackson bit back a yelp as his arm popped back into place. He moved it around just to make sure it was properly in. After he thought it was fine, he pulled out his revolver and fired off a few shots into the air, hoping to alert any nearby Grimm.

He could hear the rustling of bushes at the edge of the clearing, signifying that they heard the shots. One was brave enough to come out into the open, revealing itself to be a beowolf. It kept its distance from him, not feeling very brave. That is, until the rest of the pack appeared behind it. Rather than become discouraged, he became excited, more than normal because it's moments like these where Jackson feels it's safe to allow himself to release his inner demon, if only for a little.

Jackson pulled out his revolver, making sure it was clear of dirt and didn't damage the weapon. After a thorough check, he pulled back the hammer, aimed, and fired at the beowolf at the head of the pack. The Grimm's head burst like a bubble, and dropped, causing the rest to charge at Jackson. He fired off the remaining four shots, dropping another four beowolves, leaving five to attack him.

Instead of reloading, he transformed his weapon, now preferring to get more up close and personal.

' _coMe On yOu bEadY EyeD bAstaRds.'_

The first Grimm was within range after mere seconds of charging, and swiped at Jackson. However, Jackson ducked under it and got in close, preventing the Grimm from attacking and stabbed it square in the chest. It howled in agony, and to worsen its suffering, he began twisting it, worsening the wound and causing it to be that much more painful.

Jackson pulled out his knife and left the Grimm to writhe on the ground in pain. The other four were a little more hesitant to attack after what they just witnessed, but continued. They all charged him at once, throwing Jackson slightly off guard, but recovered nonetheless. He immediately socked two Grimm, throwing them into a daze and temporarily leaving him to combat only two instead of four.

The first one attempted to bite down on his neck, but Jackson moved out of the way and slashed at its back. He continued to slash at it, a little too immersed in it, until he was swatted away by the second beowolf. The claws had cut through his clothing and cut him, but no real damage was done.

Jackson slowly got up and saw the two beowolves staring at him. The other two regained their senses and joined them. Only one was at full capacity, while two were still mildly disoriented and one was injured, causing its attacks to become sluggish.

He reloaded his revolver, having something to fall back on should the CQC fail.

Jackson charged back into the fight, going after the most physically capable saving the others for last. He ran into the group, running the uninjured one through with his other three attempted to rip him apart, but their sluggishness and disorientation gave him enough time to back out of the group.

The Grimm fell to the ground, a gaping wound in its stomach bleeding profusely. The other three continued to try and hit him, but to no avail as he swiftly dodged and ducked all of them, whittling away at them, until they crumbled, and eventually dissolved.

Jackson let out a sigh, glad he was able to get that out of his system. He was about to start heading back, but heard a stick snap behind him. He immediately turned and aimed his revolver at the source of the disturbance, and almost pulled the trigger had he not recognized who it was.

"Jesus," said Jackson. "Don't sneak up on me like that, otherwise you might have ended up like those guys." He pointed to the dissolving corpses of Grimm.

His companion remained mute, but he could tell what he was saying by his body movement, and he wasn't happy.

"Hey, it's hard to check up on you with the new arrangements I have. And I can't bring you, because, well, you're you."

Silence. "You know what I meant! *sigh* Listen, I really care about you, I do, but it's dangerous for you to be seen. If I could take you with me, I could, but most people would freak at the sight of you, and the rest would've shot you by now. You're not a monster, but something like you is unheard of, and new things scare people."

Jackson heard a whimper, and it crushed his heart, knowing he was powerless to stop it.

Suddenly, he had an idea. "Wait a minute, I might have something. I can't show you off to the public, but I think I know a few people you CAN see. Speaking of which, I wonder how they're doing?"

…

"JACKSON!"

"Yang please! He's a good guy, Weiss can vouch for him!"

"HE'S A DEAD MAN WALKING!"

"PUT CARDIN DOWN!"

"I'M GONNA BEAT A MOTHERFUCKER WITH ANOTHER MOTHERFUCKER!"

"YANG NO!"

…

"Eh, I'm sure they have it under control. It's a long shot, but if you have any shot of being accepted, it's with them. Let's go."

Jackson turned to walk back towards Beacon, but he paused as a thought occurred. "Um, I know this is awkward, but would you mind giving me a ride to Beacon? I'll point the way for you."

Jackson could've sworn the sigh was one of annoyance, but relented and let him get on. Jackson gratefully got on right next to one of the spines, clutched on to one, and pointed in the direction of Beacon Academy. His friend raced off in the direction he was pointed to.

' _J_ _ust like old times,'_ he thought as he flew towards the school.

…

 _Beacon Campus_

 _30 Minutes After Tantrum_

After Yang's, "tantrum", classes were cancelled for the rest of the day, as Goodwitch was busy repairing the damage done to the classrooms as well as the cafeteria, leaving them half the day and the weekend to do whatever. Yang would serve detention, but for now, Team RWBY walked around the campus in their regular outfits, weapons holstered.

"I'm glad you finally calmed down Yang," Ruby said. "Believe me when I say Jackson means well, we just got off on the wrong foot, that's all."

Yang was still upset after regaining what was left of her memory, but calmed down enough to refrain herself from using Cardin as a bat to launch him across Remnant. Also, Cardin now spares no effort to keep himself at least 20 feet from Yang and her team, which didn't bother them in the slightest.

Weiss was still worried about where Jackson had run off to, and was about to bring it up, until they heard an all too familiar voice from behind them.

"Hey guys!" Jackson called out.

RWBY froze in place, slowly turning around to see Jackson running back from the direction of the Emerald Forest. Weiss was the first to react, running towards Jackson and wrapping him in a hug.

"Thank goodness you're alright!" Weiss said. "Where were you? I got nervous after seeing you in that state after Oobleck's class."

"Weiss calm down, I'm fine," Jackson said. "I just needed to relieve some stress, that's all. Hopefully Yang did the same while I was gone."

Yang let out a low growl, hair flickering to life. Ruby was able to calm her down before things could escalate any further.

"Wait a minute, shouldn't we be in class right about now?" Jackson asked.

RWBY had a sheepish look on their faces at the mention of classes. "Yeah," Ruby started with. "About that, once Yang got her memory back, she also had to, "relieve" stress, and some regretful actions happened, and now we have the rest of the day to ourselves while things get sorted out."

' _Huh, that's convenient,'_ Jackson thought. "Well, since you guys have some free time on your hands, Blake," Jackson said.

Blake was caught by surprise, and turned towards Jackson, wondering what this was about.

"You were upset about me keeping to myself. And, while I have yet to completely open up to you guys, I do have one way to start it."

Blake suddenly seemed nervous, for some reason. "I-It's alright Jackson. You don't have to do that."

This completely threw off Jackson, as Blake was the one pressing him to open up to them. No matter, it was all set up, so he'll continue with what he had planned.

"It's fine Blake," Jackson said. "I have it all set up anyway, why not go through with it? Now, if you would kindly follow me." And with that, Jackson turned on his heels and began to walk towards his destination.

Team RWBY could do nothing but follow, curious as to what he has in store for them.

…

 _Edge Of Emerald Forest_

 _15 Minutes After Departure_

RWBY and Jackson stood at the edge of the forest, utterly confused as to why Jackson would bring them here. Weiss had a few suspicions, but was not completely certain. Blake looked a little pale, guilty maybe? But why? Yang was on alert, the entire thing throwing up red flags in her head. Out of the group, Ruby was the only one genuinely interested in what he had planned, without feeling in danger or feeling guiltily responsible for it.

Jackson had a few minutes to himself, before he turned to face the group.

"Okay," he said. "This is where I'm going to show you my little surprise." Ruby continuously grew excited as each second passed, the suspense killing her. "But, before I do that, I need you all to hand over your weapons."

They froze.

Yang immediately went on the defensive, loading her gauntlets and aiming them directly at Jackson.

"And why would we do that?" She asked menacingly.

It seems he expected this to happen as he let out a sigh and looked Yang square in the eyes, suddenly making Yang feel smaller, which means something.

"It's only a precautionary measure," Jackson stated. "With what I have in store, no one would think twice when pulling out their weapon and opening fire upon setting eyes on him. Nothing bad will come of this, you have my word. And if he injures any of you in any way, not only can you kill him, but you can shoot me too."

This is how serious he was. Yang looked for anything hiding within those eyes, but found nothing, meaning he's telling the truth. Meanwhile, Weiss paled and silently begged him to not make that promise. Yang's hands started to tremble, the more she stared into his eyes, the more and more her hatred for him melted away, the golden orbs giving off such a warm and welcoming feel.

Eventually, Yang's arms gave out, and began to take off her gauntlets, the rest of RWBY following suit, albeit Weiss was more hesitant than the others.

Once the group put their weapons in the care of Jackson, he smiled and put two fingers in his mouth.

 _*TWEEEEEEEEEEEET*_

Nothing but silence, confusing the girls. One of them was about to speak up, but they heard a series of thumps coming from the forest. The sound gradually increased, until they could see distant rustling deep within the forest. They all freaked and realized that the loud whistle attracted a nearby Grimm, and a large one at that, something they DEFINITELY didn't account for. They attempted to pull out their weapons, but only met air as they realized the terrible mistake they made. They were about to shout for Jackson to hand them their weapons, but it was too late as the Grimm emerged from the forest line.

Towering over them was a beowolf standing on its hind legs, but not just any beowolf, an Alpha Beowolf, making it much more dangerous. When it's standing at full height, it stands twice as tall as them, with a large tail almost touching the ground. The Grimm had bone spikes protruding from its kneecaps and shoulders, as well as the side of its forearms and down its spine, patches of bone armor below the shoulders and above the kneecaps. It had large sharp claws from its feet and hands, small pieces of bone where the knuckles would be along with an external rib cage. The whole head was covered in a bone face mask, save for the ears, which were large and pointy. Even the jaw was protected by bone, with the face mask containing two large canines, as well as other teeth, giving it a serrated feel to it. The entire Grimm was a step up from the regular beowolf, even the skin was much more tough. What would kill a regular beowolf would only make this one mad. All in all, this was a fight they would lose, miserably, without their weapons.

They were prepped to run, and they would have, had they not witnessed the most dumbfounding thing in all of Remnant's history.

Jackson ran up to it and hugged it.

"Beanie!" Jackson said in glee. RWBY gaped at the sheer insanity of what Jackson did. But that wasn't even the most baffling part.

It got down on all fours and licked his face as it barked happily.

By this point, they were absolutely floored, jaws slamming into the ground, and Weiss even fainted.

"Oh, I've missed you! Yes I have! Yes I have!" Jackson gushed as he scratched the Grimm behind the ear, causing it to pant happily and pound its leg on the ground.

Ruby was the first to snap out of her state, and her eyes sparkled at what she was witnessing.

"That's amazing!" Ruby squealed as she ran up to it, a little too quickly, startling it and causing it to growl loudly and stand again, taking Jackson with him.

"Aah! Beanie, back down, back down!" It eventually complied, putting Jackson safely on the ground, allowing him to continue scratching behind the ear. He turned towards Ruby, who snapped back to reality after the sudden change in behavior caused her to cower away, realizing what she was dealing with.

"Ruby, you need to be careful when approaching him," he said. "He doesn't know you guys, and your Grimm record doesn't exactly help you. Be careful and precise with your movements. But don't worry, once he gets to know you, he''ll turn into a giant fluff ball." Not many people know this, but Grimm fur is actually quite thick and soft, perfect for hugging them. Then again, no one really gets a chance to hug them, as they don't live to tell the tale, and then the rest are sane.

Ruby nodded and started to walk towards Beanie, but more careful this time. The large beowolf still tensed up as she got near, but didn't make any movements that would indicate an attack, and Jackson would be there to help if things began to get out of hand. Ruby got very near, and stuck her hand out for him to sniff. He seemed to understand as he sniffed her palm, but continued his thorough examination of her by pacing around her, inspecting her from all angles.

After a full rotation, the beowolf got in real close to her face, it's beady eyes piercing her soul, causing her to sweat.

Then he started to excessively lick her face.

She was caught off guard, but immediately recovered as she laughed at his drooling onslaught, attempting to stop it, but to no avail.

"He's a big furry!" Ruby gushed. Half her face was covered in drool, but she couldn't care less as she dove in for a hug, realizing just how soft and thick Grimm fur is. Beanie was just as happy to receive the hug as Ruby was giving it.

Yang was next to come back to reality, and saw Ruby engulfed in Grimm fur, Beanie's tongue sticking out and panting happily. She still had trouble wrapping her head around this, even when witnessing Ruby treat him just like Zwei. Everything about this felt wrong, considering they did nothing but murder every Grimm they set eyes on, and here they are with an Alpha acting like any other dog.

Ruby tried to wrap her arms around his neck, but she had a little trouble completing this task. Once she did, Yang noticed a devilish grin come across his face. Before she knew it, Jackson yelled out a command. "Beanie, up!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Beanie stood on his hind legs, standing up at full height, bringing Ruby with her five feet up.

"Waah! Beanie no!" Ruby yelled as she dangled in the air, thrashing her legs about in a desperate attempt to climb Beanie as she kept an iron grip on his fur. Meanwhile, Jackson was dying of laughter, watching the entire thing happen, on the verge of tears witnessing Ruby's feeble attempts at climbing.

After a few moments, Jackson was able to regain his composure, his stomach hurting. "Alright Beanie, that's enough. Down," he said. Beanie complied and got back down on all fours, Ruby's feet finally touching the ground again. Once she regained her footing, she stomped over to Jackson, visibly angered at what he did.

She started to swat at him. "You're such a jerk!" She exclaimed. Jackson began to shield himself as he began to laugh a little at the attack.

Ruby eventually let up, and crossed her arms, Jackson turning towards her and smiling.

"Consider it payback for startling Beanie," Jackson said. Ruby let out a huff, but also gave a small smile, one that didn't go unnoticed.

Yang made her way over to them, a bit hesitant of the Grimm.

Jackson also noticed this, and said to her, "It's okay Yang, just stick out your hand like Ruby did, and bam, furry."

Yang did as instructed and stuck out her arm for Beanie to sniff. He walked up to her hand and took a sniff, taking a bit longer than Ruby, and came to the same result, a large, scary furry. Yang relaxed, as she now knows the Grimm doesn't mean any harm. She even began to scratch him behind the ear, pleasing him.

"Heh, he's not so bad," she said as she continued to scratch him. "By the way, how did this even happen?"

"Well," Jackson said. "I don't want to go into full detail, but long story short, I picked him up when he was just a little pup, and took care of him from there on. Hell, I thought it was just a regular wolf when I saw him. He still had red eyes as a pup, but I didn't think nothing of it at the time. By the time I found out, I was basically his mother, and I had spent so much time caring for him, I couldn't bring myself to kill him, not that he would even consider hurting me." The Grimm barked happily to confirm it.

Yang let out a small chuckle. "Hey Blake, come over here, it's actually not tha-" She turned around to see nothing but a note on the ground, along with Gambol Shroud missing.

Yang went over to pick up the note to see what it said:

 _I want nothing to do with it,_

 _Blake_

Yang was confused as to why she would leave, but suddenly remembered something important about her, the note now making sense.

Yang heard Jackson from behind her. "What's the note say, Yang? Why isn't Blake here?"

Yang decided that she would withhold that information from him, saving it for later, since she doesn't know his viewpoint on her kind.

"Blake remembered she had to help a friend of hers with classwork, so she left to go meet them."

Jackson could understand that. He turned to face Beanie. "Alright Beanie, we have to go now, but I promise that I'll visit soon, and I'll bring these guys too if they want, okay?"

Beanie let out a whimper, but it was gone as soon as it came and licked Jackson's face before heading back into the forest.

"Welp, it's time we do the same," Jackson said. He walked over to Weiss, picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and began walking back towards Beacon, as well as picking up her rapier and carrying that too. Ruby and Yang picked up their weapons and followed him back.

They caught up to him, and began to talk to pass the time. "So Jackson," Ruby said. "What do you plan on doing this weekend?"

"Clothes shopping," Jackson said. "The ones I have on now are torn on one side, and the uniform is all that's left, and I don't plan on wearing that for the next few years. As for Sunday, I don't know what I'll do."

Ruby suddenly had an idea. "Hey, I'm going to a weapons store in Vale to look for some upgrades for Crescent Rose. Wanna come with me?"

Jackson seemed to ponder it for a moment. "I don't need a new weapon, but I could see what kind of ammo they have in stock for my revolver, maybe even an upgrade or two. Sure, why not?"

"Yay!" Ruby cheered. No one was as much of a weapons fanatic like Ruby, and would rather go by themselves, so the fact that Jackson was coming along with her made her feel happy.

They continued to make small talk until they reached their dorm rooms. Yang opened up their room, allowing Jackson to gently place Weiss on her bed, her rapier resting on one of the legs. Blake was already there when they arrived, her face in a book.

None of them didn't really plan on school being cut short, so they decided that they would just stay in their rooms and use their extra time to catch up on either school work or sleep. Jackson had to steer clear of Team RWBY during lunch, so he missed out on food, a visible sign as his stomach grumbled.

"I'm gonna go grab a bite at the cafeteria, I'll see you guys later," Jackson said as he walked out. Yang and Ruby waved goodbye, while Blake just gave him a head nod.

Jackson had a little trouble finding his way, but found it nonetheless, and made his way to the cafeteria. Upon walking in, there were other groups of students within the dining hall. He really didn't pay any mind to them as he grabbed a tray and started throwing food on it, varying greatly, from pizza, to burgers, to corn dogs. When most of the food he ate is based off of what he killed, most of it consisting of elk or deer, it begins to become boring. Jackson intended to take full advantage of the mess hall.

After he thought he put on enough, he sat down at an empty table, preferring to be alone, and dug in. The food exploded in his mouth, flavor beyond his imagination enchanting him, so much so he thought he would cry. Thankfully, he managed to restrain himself, and continued eating.

While eating, he noticed a rather colorful group sitting at a table not too far away from him, only four.

The first one had blonde hair, blue eyes, armor plating over a hoodie, sword and shield at his waist. He had a somewhat scrawny figure, slightly less than the average build of a man his age. He looked like he had no idea what he was doing, let alone in a fight. Sitting next to him was a girl, who had red hair and wore gladiator style armor, modified to fit her feminine figure, as well as her… assets. What stood out were her eyes, an emerald green color. Her weapons were on her back, a spear and shield, similar to the blonde one's arsenal. After her, there was a man who was completely quiet, only listening in on the conversation, rather than converse himself. Most of his clothing was green, a pink strand in his otherwise black hair, as well as pink eyes. He had a long ponytail down his back, and he didn't see any weapons on his person, so either he didn't bring it, or he has them well hidden. The last one of the group was the most interesting. She had short orange hair, also containing blue eyes. She wore a vest of sorts, a heart cut out in the center of her upper chest, along with a pink skirt. She had pink finger-less gloves, most likely leather dyed pink. Her weapon of choice was a giant war hammer, capable of slamming an Ursa across Remnant. It also looked like it could obliterate any Test Your Might stand at a carnival. The girl herself was moving all over the table, unable to sit still for even a second.

Jackson finished his meal and set his dishes in the box, soon leaving the Mess Hall shortly after.

' _That was a, colorful, group of people back there,'_ he thought. _'Maybe I'll run into them in the halls someday.'_

Jackson made his way back to his dorm, entering and locking it behind him. He began on working on the homework given to him by Port and Oobleck. As for his other two classes, he appeared to have a Combat class, with Miss Goodwitch, and Science, with a Professor Peach. He knew Goodwitch, but he doesn't know a Peach, and the surname doesn't really help identifying his/her gender.

He continued with his homework until he finished it, and spent the rest of the day on his scroll, watching videos from famous internet celebrities.

Eventually, night time rolled around, indicating it was time to go to sleep. He intended on leaving early tomorrow to browse the shops in Vale, buy some extra things for his room, and maybe catch a film or something of that sort. He undressed until he was only in his boxers, and hopped onto his bed.

Tomorrow would be a busy day for him, and he wants every second of shuteye he can get.

…

AN: **FINALLY! THREE WEEKS, THREE GODDAMN WEEKS! I know I said uploads would be at random, but jesus. As for the pet Grimm, he's based off of my own pet dog named, surprise, Beanie. He's still only a pup, but he is much bigger and much fluffier than any other dog his age** **should be** , **and I love him (black fur btw). I do plan on pairing Jackson with one of two people from RWBY, but I'm torn as to who. I'm sure you can guess who those two are, as it was evident in the chapter-**

" **IT'S ONLY A THOUGHT!"**

 **Hehe. If you guys want to leave your thoughts on the matter in a review, it might sway my decision, just maybe. I've gone on for long enough, Review, Follow, Favorite, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter. See ya (hopefully) soon!**


	5. A Day(te) With A Schnee

AN: **Hey guys, it's me, Mtop70! I made the last chapter longer to kind of make up for the long update. I'll try to work around my schedule so it doesn't take as long, but no promises. Also, shout out to Mehhmenah and Hef808 for favoriting or following the story, it's so cool to see people interested in my story! Anyways, enjoy!**

Disclaimer: **I do not own RWBY or any songs that appear within the story.**

…

 _Jackson's Dorm_

 _7:33 am_

Jackson woke up at a reasonable time, and got a good amount of sleep. Not as good as the night prior, but enough to get him through the day.

Because Jackson only had one pair of clothing, and the shirt and hoodie was torn, he was forced to stitch it up himself in an attempt to make it look a bit more presentable in public. It wasn't a bad job, since he's done it a few times before, but it wasn't the best either. Thankfully, it was a good enough job that you wouldn't notice unless you paid semi-close attention. His pants and boots were fine, so he didn't worry about that.

Once he got dressed, he put on his holster, took his wallet and scroll, and was out the door.

"Alright, first things first-"

 _ **I'M THE REALEST.**_

" **GOD FUCKING DAMMIT! I'M ABOUT TO-"**

He never got the chance to fully threaten me as a door swung open and Weiss popped her head out.

"Jackson, what's wrong?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, u-uh nothing! Just stubbed my toe against the door frame, that's all."

A groggy Ruby could be heard from within the dorm. "Weeeiiissss, who is it?"

"Oh, it's just Jackson. Don't worry about it," Weiss said. She returned to Jackson. "What are you doing up so early? It's the weekend, no one's gonna be up til around 9 o'clock."

"Heh. I could be asking you the same thing, seeing as you're already dressed for the day."

Sure enough, Weiss was in her everyday clothing, rapier at her side. She began to get flustered as she attempted to come up with a reason. "Well, uh, y-you see, the reason is, uhm-"

Jackson could only laugh at her failed attempt at a recovery. "It's fine, Weiss. You were never one to waste a minute of your life doing nothing, and it's only been reinforced now that you're the future CEO of the Schnee Dust Company."

Weiss could only smile as Jackson didn't make fun of her for her attempted cover-up.

"So, how you feeling after meeting my pet?" Jackson said as he held back a grin.

Weiss gave a sheepish smile. "Well, as you saw yesterday, it was more than I thought it would be."

"Oh come on, you were the only person in the group to know about it beforehand!" Jackson exclaimed. "Out of you four, you were the last person I expected to faint."

"Hey, I thought it would be a regular Grimm, not a goddamn Alpha!" Weiss refuted.

"Okay okay, point taken. Let's head to the Mess Hall, I'm starving."

Weiss nodded her head and walked with Jackson to get breakfast.

"Hey Weiss," Jackson said. "What brings you to wake up earlier than the others?"

"I could be asking you the exact same question," Weiss retorted. "If you must know, I ran out of Dust for my rapier, mainly fire and ice, and I need to make a run to the local Dust Shop in Vale."

"Ah, looks like you and me are heading to the same place," Jackson said. "I need to buy some new clothes, since most of the clothing I own doesn't last very long as they end up getting torn."

"Of course your clothing would end up getting shredded, you've always been doing stupid stuff," Weiss said.

"You call it stupid, I call it having fun," Jackson responded. "Either way, it still ends up ripping my clothes, so I'm hoping to get some sort of Kevlar clothing tailored to fit me. It might add some extra weight, but I'll get used to it. It'll last longer, and works as armor too."

Weiss nodded her head in approval, the idea of his killing two birds with one stone.

Before long, they arrived at the Mess Hall, and proceeded to serve themselves breakfast.

The room was nearly deserted, only a handful of students present out of the thousand attending the academy.

Weiss got a crepe, a coffee, and a bowl of fruit for breakfast. Jackson, on the other hand, had a more hearty breakfast. Jackson got a chicken fried steak, smothered in country gravy, hash browns to the side, as well as bacon and some sausage links. And to drink, Jackson got a glass of milk. As soon as they sat down, Jackson began digging into his food.

Weiss was a little disgusted at how he ate at the table. Then again, he probably hasn't had a proper meal with others for Oum knows how long. He knew very well how to use utensils, but he would stuff his face so much it's borderline choking hazard.

"God Jackson, take your time!" Weiss exclaimed. "Your jaw will dislocate if you put any more food in!"

Jackson somehow swallowed his food to speak to Weiss. "Well, when you've been eating nothing but elk, deer, and any other wildlife in the forest for the past three years, you learn to appreciate the things you take for granted."

She opened her mouth, but no words came out as she had nothing to refute with. She couldn't imagine being out in the forest for that long.

They continued eating their meals in silence, Jackson more immersed in the food than Weiss. Once they finished, they put away their dishes and headed for the docking bays to head into Vale.

During their walk, Jackson saw some interesting characters skewed about the campus. He saw the roman girl from yesterday jogging, and a few others just lounging about, talking to each other.

However, the most notable character would be the seven foot giant meditating on the grass nearby. He had tan brown skin, green clothing, and a large sword on his back, taking a bronze color. Even though he could probably crush Jackson's skull with his bare hands, he had an air of calmness around him, leading Jackson to believe he was a gentle giant most of the time. Either way, it's probably not a good idea to try and pick a fight with him.

They reached the docking bay and waited for the next Bullhead to take them to Vale. As they waited for the next one to arrive, Jackson decided to ask Weiss something that's been bugging him.

"Hey Weiss?" Jackson asked. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure Jackson," she said. "What is it?" She was curious about what Jackson could possibly ask.

"Well, Blake's been acting strange lately, and I wanna know why. She was upset that I wouldn't open up more, and when I finally started, she got nervous and tried to stop it. Something felt off about her when we first met, but I can't seem to put my finger on it."

Weiss froze up as she heard the question. She remembers the huge argument her and Blake had about the White Fang, and Blake's unintentional outburst revealed her secret to her whole team. After that, she bolted and left the rest of RWBY in shock. After the incident at the docks in Vale, Blake filled her in on her time with the White Fang, from the peaceful protests all the way to the changes that happened fi-

Wait a minute…

…

 _ **Oh God.**_

Weiss paled immensely, if even possible, at her sudden and dreadful revelation. If she's right…

"Weiss?"

She was snapped out of her state as Jackson tapped her shoulder. "What's wrong?" He asked. "You looked like you've seen a ghost."

Weiss tried to come up with an answer to his previous question, because he can't go without an answer, otherwise it'll come off as suspicious. Ah, to hell with it, she'll tell him about her heritage, although she's not sure as to how well he'll take it, after the "incident".

"Oh no, I'm fine," she said. "And to answer your previous question, yes, Blake's been a little hesitant around you, because she's not sure about your standpoint on faunus."

Jackson was immediately confused. "Faunus? What does that have to do with anything? She doesn't have ears or a tail, she wears a bo-oooohhhh."

A tumbleweed suddenly rolled past the both of them as a gust of wind appeared out of nowhere.

"Wait, if that was it, how come you didn't tell me? You know I have nothing against the faunus," Jackson argued.

"I do, but they don't," Weiss countered. "Plus, I didn't know if that viewpoint changed after your discovery in History, so I didn't want to say anything until I was absolutely sure."

Jackson paused, then let out a sigh. "No, my viewpoint on faunus hasn't changed, you know it could never happen."

Weiss let out a sigh of relief, thankful that Jackson wasn't a racist like Cardin or his team. She could only imagine how hard it is to be a fau-

"However,"

Weiss stopped her train of thought as Jackson's interruption caught her attention.

"Just because I don't hate the faunus, the same can't be said for the White Fang."

Weiss knew this would happen. Jackson never saw the White Fang as a justified organization after the change in power, and now this new piece of evidence has only strengthened his viewpoint.

"I supported the peaceful methods in the early years of the organization, but for the last five years, they lost their way, and now they've become monsters."

"Maybe they're just misguided," Weiss suggested. Jackson, however, didn't take that so well, as it looks like he was just stabbed in the back.

"Any faunus that were in their right minds have already left," Jackson said, his voice having a sharp edge to it. "All that's left are the radicals set on nothing but the extinction of Man as a species. Any faunus working, hell, even seen with humans are considered traitors, and will be killed. Wait, where is this coming from? Last I checked, you wanted the White Fang just as dead as I do. A troubled childhood, constant robberies of Dust, executions of board members, as well as friends, you would've sold your soul to Miles himself to end them!"

"And I still do!" Weiss exclaimed. "It's just, well, maybe there's another way. *sigh*, Look, ever since I've been a part of RWBY, they've changed me. I'm not as aggressive or stuck up as I was before, and that's branched out to how I think we could defeat the White Fang. Some of them we may be able to save, but we'll never know if we shoot every person that bears the logo." She knew she was talking to a brick wall, but she was at least hoping to make a crack in it.

But it did nothing to change his mind. "I'm sorry Weiss, but I can't forgive them after what they did to me. I'll let you try and save them, but they won't expect any mercy from me if I ever set eyes on one of them."

Just as he finished, a Bullhead arrived to pick them up. "You two heading to Vale?" The pilot asked from the cockpit.

They nodded their heads and boarded the Bullhead. An awkward silence engulfed the cabin as they both sat, saying nothing.

Finally, Jackson broke the silence. "Weiss, I'm sorry if I don't see things your way. I've hoped that they would go back to the way they were before, but that didn't happen. And I'm not willing to give them a second chance."

"It's fine," Weiss said. "I understand why you won't budge. In fact, when I talked to you, I kind of already knew it was no use. The problem is, I don't know how the rest of my team will react to your statement."

"I don't care what they think," Jackson said. "There's nothing they can do to change my mind."

"But," Jackson said. "Now's not the time to be talking about this. I told you I'd find time to catch up with you." He spread his arms open, gesturing to the empty cabin around him. "What better time than the present?"

Weiss smiled at that, finally given the opportunity to normally talk with Jackson after three years of absence. They began to talk about what has happened in their lives since they parted ways, or rather Weiss' life since they parted ways, because Jackson's suddenly became routine after the first week, except for the special exceptions that occurred every once in awhile. Nonetheless, they talked the entire ride, immersed in their own little world, time seemingly flying by.

…

 _City of Vale_

 _One Hour After Departure_

They arrived to Vale in what seemed to be mere minutes, although in reality it was much longer. They got off the Bullhead and waved to the pilot as they made their way into the city.

It's been awhile since Jackson set foot into Vale. The only time he's ever foot in here was if he needed ammo, clothing, or info. Well, technically this isn't out of the ordinary, since he IS coming to buy clothes. But it is a little different, now that Weiss is here with him.

Weiss brought an empty case to store her Dust in, and Jackson brought a backpack to put his old clothes once he gets the Kevlar clothing, because he plans on putting them on almost immediately after purchasing them.

"Where do you want to start?" Jackson asked. "Me first or you?"

"Let's go to the Dust Shop first," Weiss said. "It won't take long, just a quick refill on Dust." Jackson nodded his head and followed Weiss to the shop.

The walk didn't take long, only a few minutes at most, before they wounded up in front of a small Dust Shop:

 _From Dust 'Til Dawn_

Jackson chuckled to himself at the wordplay. He's definitely getting his Dust here if he ever needs it.

They made their way into the store, a small bell ringing throughout the shop as the bell hung above the door was moved. It was a quaint little shop, with all the modern Dust dispensing technology available, as well as crystallized Dust in a showcase for all to see.

While it was mainly for Dust, it also had a the feeling of a regular convenience store. Magazines for purchase, beverages and snacks as well. So, while Weiss browsed the Dust, Jackson strolled over to the magazines, hoping to find the latest issue of Guns & Ammo. Luckily for him, the clerk had just placed the newest issue right before he set foot in the store.

Jackson always had an interest in firearms, whether they be handguns, shotguns, marksman rifles (one of his personal favorites), and a variety of others.

However, there was one portion of the magazine where it never failed to disappoint:

The Great War Section.

If there was anything he admired more than the modern weapons, it was Great War weapons. He doesn't know why, maybe it was because they were just guns instead of hybrids, but he's had an admiration for the older weapons, it just felt right.

But alas, he had no hope of obtaining an original, as they were either placed in museums, bought out by weapon enthusiasts, destroyed in combat, or dismantled and scrapped for parts. Sure, they had Mk. IIs and Mk. IIIs, but it wasn't the same.

Nevertheless, Jackson grabbed the magazine, and a soda as well, and went to the register. He seemed to have taken longer than he thought ogling at the magazine, as Weiss also walked up to the counter, vials of Dust in hand, as well as a few crystals. As for why she needs the crystals, he has no clue.

"Together please," Weiss told the clerk as she placed her intended purchases on the counter. Jackson wanted to protest, but never got the chance as everything was already checked out and Weiss already made the purchase. Weiss put the Dust in her case, while the clerk handed Jackson a plastic bag, containing his magazine and beverage. They waved goodbye at the clerk and exited the store.

It wasn't long before Jackson began to start talking. "So Weiss, what'd you buy? Other than the two big ones you mentioned earlier, of course."

"Well," said Weiss. "I really don't use any of the other Dust variants available, but I bought some to experiment with. In all honesty, I forgot which ones they are, other than the Lightning Dust. Fire, Ice, and Lightning Dust are what I usually use most, and Lightning isn't used often."

An opportunity as rare as this only presented itself once every 1000 years, even more so to a Schnee. He must be very careful and approach with caution, for if he makes even the smallest mistake, his chance will disappear, and he won't live to see the next one arise.

"So you could say…"

Weiss knew what was happening, and paled greatly. "Jackson, don't do it."

"That those extra cylinders…"

"You don't know what you're doing!" Exclaimed Weiss.

"Are just collecting…"

"Jackson, please, I'm begging you, don't do it." It looked like she was on the brink of collapse. But no matter how she begged, threatened, or pleaded for mercy, Jackson had passed the point of no return, and could only finished what he started, much to Weiss' dismay.

" _ **...Dust."**_

Before Jackson could even blink, Weiss collapsed into a heap, put into a daze after the pun.

Jackson could barely hold back a grin as he picked up Weiss and her case and made his way to the clothing store, hoping to find what he needed.

…

Yang gasped for air as she woke up with a cold sweat. A pun related event happened, and it was **big**. The event itself had sent shock waves throughout her body, leaving her awestruck and ashamed for not being part of the pun. She lays back down on her bed, feeling put down.

…

Eventually, Weiss recovered from her state, and slapped Jackson for his criminal joke. Irritated, she got off of Jackson's shoulder and ripped the case from his grasp. Jackson did nothing but smile and giggle at himself for Weiss' behavior. Soon, they made it to their destination, a Hunter Clothing Store, where Hunters and Huntresses, whether in training or certified, can come to purchase clothing or have one tailored for them.

The clothing available varies as far as your imagination can take you. Apparently, Hunters/Huntresses preferred to be the flashy kind, with most clothing very colorful, contrasting greatly from what would be their usual work space. But, it wasn't his business to what clothing they should wear, since some are actually certified, and he has yet to obtain that kind of status.

Regardless of attire, Jackson was looking for some body armor clothing, which will not only rip every day, but has the potential to double as protection. They walked in and was greeted by a woman at the register who appeared to be well built and looked professional in a three piece suit.

"Good morning," said the woman. "My name is Sam, and I run this business. Is there anything I can help you with today?"

"Hello Sam," Jackson responded kindly. "As a matter of fact, there are a few things that you can help me with."

"Such as?"

"I'm looking for some clothing that can serve as body armor without having to be rigid. I'm also hoping to have a shirt or two tailored to fit me."

Sam smiled at them. "Ah, some Hunters in training, I suspect?"

"Indeed," Jackson replied. "Although, most of my clothing ends up shredded due to my own stupidity rather than Grimm attacks."

Sam laughed at his confession. "Well, we have a variety of Kevlar clothing ranging from pants to hoodies for you to browse and select. As for tailoring some shirts, I may be able to help you with that as well, but it depends on what you're looking for."

"What I had in mind was a close fitting T-Shirt, black in color, Cotton, and ceramic plating woven into the shirt on the front and back of the shirt. Quantity wise, two or three, maybe more."

Sam seemed to ponder for a moment before coming to a decision. "I can make you the shirt, but only one, mainly because I'm on short supply of ceramic plating and I can only spare enough for your shirt at the moment. I get a new shipment in a few days, so I'll be able to make the other shirts once it arrives."

Although a little disappointed, he was glad he was getting at least one shirt today, so he had no complaints. "It's fine. As long as I can get at least one shirt, I can wait patiently for the rest."

"Perfect!" Sam exclaimed. "Right this way!"

She moved from behind the counter and walked over to a fitting room to measure him for his shirt, Jackson following suit. Weiss, on the other hand, didn't really do much other than just stand there and let Jackson speak to the woman. She just followed them, as she had nothing else to do in the clothing store.

Sam began to measure Jackson's body, and began to speak. "Okay, Mr…."

"Jackson Wesson," he replied. "I feel weird with formalities, so Jackson is fine."

"Okay Jackson," Sam said. "Your shirt shouldn't take too long to make, I have a state-of-the-art machine in the back of the shop to make your shirt once I have the proper measurements. In the meantime, you can browse the shop and look for your other clothing you wish to purchase."

"Sounds good to me," said Jackson. "How long should it take?"

"Well, because I have to insert the ceramic plate and then restart the process, it'll take about ten minutes. Wait, do you want it woven in or have a small opening to insert and take it out?"

"In all honesty," Jackson said. "I'll probably forget I have the ceramic plate in at all, so just weave it in."

Sam nodded and continued with the measurements. "And… Done! Now, I'll start up the machine, you can go look for the rest of your clothing." And with that, she left him to browse the clothing store.

Jackson made his way back to where Weiss was, knowing she was bored out of her mind since she had no business here.

"So, what's happening?" Asked Weiss.

"Right now, she only has enough material for one shirt, as she seems to be low on some ceramic plating. It'll take ten minutes to make, so in the meantime, I'm going to look for the stuff I'm hoping to find."

Weiss nodded, thankful she could finally participate. "Well, because this is a Hunter store, almost everything in here is made of a strong, durable fabric, Kevlar included. It all depends on what you're looking for. So, what are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for a hoodie and pants," Jackson said.

"Color?"

"Black."

"Style?"

" **Regular.** "

Weiss noticed the strain he put in the word. "How come you don't want to wear stylish clothing?"

Jackson had a deadpan face, as well as in the tone of his voice. "Weiss, I'm training to fight Grimm and prevent the end of Mankind as we know it. I don't intend to leave a mark in history based off of what I wore, let alone bitch about other people's opinions on my sense of fashion now. As long as my clothing is nice, comfy, and all one color, I couldn't care less of what it was."

Although it wasn't directly towards her, Weiss still took some offense to what he said. "It'll make you more memorable," she grumbled.

Jackson laughed at that. "Weiss, most Hunters and Huntresses, certified or not, are wearing flamboyant outfits along with a vibrant color to match it. Look at you, you're wearing a poofy skirt drenched in white head to toe! I've seen someone with a suit of armor like a knight with a golden eagle on the chestplate, wielding an enormous mace, another styled after an ancient spartan wielding a spear and shield, your leader is basically straight out of a fairy tale, the red color causing her to stick out like a sore thumb, and don't even get me started on her weapon! If anything, I'll stick out because of my simplicity. Line me up with the rest of the school, I'll be one out of a handful of students who could be considered wearing normal clothes, something apparently not very common in our line of business."

Weiss wanted to argue, she really did, but after a moment of thought, he was right, in a way. Whether it was the outfit or color they bear, they all kind of created some sort of expectancy where a student would have a unique design. Because of his simple design, it made him, ironically, unique.

She huffed in defeat and turned her attention to his potential attire. "Fine. This is your choice, I'm only here for judging the clothes. Go see what you think works."

Jackson nodded and picked out his choice of clothing. It didn't take long to gather what he needed, since it only consisted of two things.

When he returned, he had a black hoodie in one hand and black denim slim fit jeans in the other. He made his way over to one of the fitting rooms to put them on and showcase to Weiss.

When he was done, he walked out and showed Weiss.

Jackson had the sleeves rolled up on the hoodie up to the crook of his elbow, and the pants seemed to perfectly fit him, rather than be skin tight jeans or baggy.

"How do I look?" Asked Jackson.

"Nothing special," remarked Weiss.

"Perfect! Let me take this off and we'll go see if Sam's done with the shirt."

Jackson took time to get out of the clothing back to his regular attire, and walked over to where she saw Sam enter the backroom.

In an instant, Sam walked out of the room, smiling with a shirt in hand.

"All done!" She said. "All that's left is to put it on and see what you think."

Jackson nodded and entered a fitting room, excited to put on the shirt. Meanwhile, the two girls waited for Jackson to come out and show the shirt off.

Rather than wait in silence, Sam decided to start up a conversation. "Ms. Schnee, it's an honor to have you here."

Weiss was caught off guard, but quickly recovered as she remembered who she was. "It's nice to be here Sam. He seemed set on coming to this store for his clothing."

There was a moment of silence, then Sam continued. "Pardon me for intruding, but I was wondering, where did you meet your boyfriend?"

Weiss blushed madly as she struggled to find the proper words. "H-He's not my boyfriend!" Weiss exclaimed.

Sam giggled at the Heiress' embarrassment. "Is that so?" She questioned. "I sensed a connection between the two of you, and a strong one at that. To tell me you two are just friends would be silly."

Weiss went from embarrassment to anger in seconds. "He IS just a friend. The only reason you see such a bond between us is we've been friends for years now, and for the last three I thought he was **dead**. I only found out about his continued existence a few days ago, and now you're gonna gush over my apparent crush on him?"

Sam was mortified after Weiss' explanation. She couldn't even bear to look her in the eyes after what she said to her. She could even feel the Heiress' eyes boring holes into her skull. Thankfully, it didn't take much longer for Jackson to put on the shirt.

"Here we go," Jackson said. "Whaddya think?"

Both of them turned towards him, and completely forgot what occurred between them.

Before them stood Jackson in the armored shirt. Because the shirt was close fitting, it left no room for the imagination as it showed off his physique. He had broad shoulders and quite the muscular body. Even though the ceramic plating prevented a detailed image of his chest, his arms were out for the world to see, being well built and a few veins jutting out. The top portion of his abdomen was covered by the plating, and because the shirt was close fitting, they were able to make out the lower portion as it made a fairly visible imprint on the shirt.

It took the girls a moment to snap back to reality. Weiss smiled. "It looks good on you Jackson," she said. "Go grab the rest of your clothes, and we'll head to the counter."

Jackson nodded and got his hoodie and pants, as well as a few other pairs of each.

Sam made her way to the counter and began to ring up the clothing he picked out.

"Alright Jackson," she said. "Your total comes out to be… 630 Lien."

Jackson reached for his backpack, but Weiss stopped him before he could pull out his card.

"No no," she said. "I'll be paying for this."

"What?!" Exclaimed Jackson. "Come on Weiss, I can pay for my own stuff, it's not like I'm dirt poor."

Rather than become agitated, Weiss smiled, and Jackson paled.

"It's fine Jackson, let me pay for you."

He immediately nodded his head, allowing her to pay for his clothes. Jackson had seen that smile before, and he wanted nothing from it. He may be borderline psychotic, but even he knew when to stand down.

She nodded her head in triumph as she pulled out her own card. She swiped it through the machine, approved, and Sam proceeded to put his clothes in a bag, until Jackson stopped him at the last pair of each.

"Actually, leave those. I want to wear those," he said. He grabbed the hoodie and pants and made his way to the fitting room, coming out soon after wearing his new gear. Grabbing the bag containing the rest of clothes, he stuffed it into his backpack, thanked Sam, and exited the store with Weiss.

"Well, now that we got what we came here for, you wanna grab something to eat?" Asked Jackson. "I could really go for a burger right now, what about you?"

"Hmmm… You know, I don't really know what I could eat. Maybe a pasta or something, but I'm not too, sure…"

Weiss lost her train of thought as she focused on what was in front of her. Jackson became confused with Weiss' sudden change of expression, and it wasn't until he followed her gaze did he change expressions himself.

Up ahead there was a large crowd huddling around something, but they couldn't figure out what. Panicked voices were audible from where they were now, and prompted them to hurry over to see what was happening. It was difficult to make their way through the thick crowd, but once they did, they went from curious to very concerned in an instant.

Lying before them was a middle age man, early fifties Jackson guessed, sprawled out on the floor, with someone pounding on his chest.

"What happened here?" Asked Jackson, suddenly serious now.

The man attempting to revive him responded. "We don't know! I saw him on the street, and all of a sudden, he clutched his chest in pain and fell to the ground! We've called the paramedics, but we're afraid they won't get here on time."

"Check his heart," Jackson said. It wasn't a request, more of a statement.

The man bent over to listen to his heart. "Oum almighty, his hearts beating 1000 a minute!"

Jackson immediately went over to the man's side. "Let me handle this."

The man nodded and backed away, hoping this stranger can save him.

Without a moment to waste, Jackson placed his hands on the man's chest, a red glow emanating from him. His face contorted into one of struggle as he attempted to revive the man. But after a moment, he let his hands go and a ragged breath come out.

"My semblance won't work," he said. "There's nothing to fix, in a way, since no real damage was done. Because it's only a heart erratically beating, it doesn't register as a wound or injury, so my semblance is useless. I'd have to put a ridiculous amount of Aura in just to have a chance of restarting his heart that way."

The crowd had become panicked again, the hope in their eyes dissipating. Jackson didn't feel any better either. He desperately wanted to help this man, but because of the situation, he's powerless to keep him from dying.

His eyes made their way over to Weiss, concern/fear sketched across her face. He couldn't bear to look at her, so he brought his eyes down,

Onto her case full of Dust.

Suddenly, Jackson's eyes lit up, eyes full of hope. "Weiss, bring over your suitcase," he urged, Weiss immediately complying. She had no idea where he was going with this,but she'll soon find out.

"You said you bought Lightning Dust, right?" Jackson asked.

"Yeah?" Weiss responded, still unsure of what his plan was.

"Give it to me," he demanded.

She didn't hesitate to open up her case and bring her vial of Lightning Dust out, but before she could hand it to Jackson, everything finally clicked, and she ripped her hand away from his.

"Are you insane?!" She questioned.

"Yes," he said, without hesitation. "But that's not important right now. What's important is we save this man's life."

"We don't know what this could do to him!"

"It could either save his life, or kill him, and he's already going to die if we don't do anything!"

Weiss was hesitant, but eventually relented and handed the vial to Jackson.

"Thank you," he said. He popped open the vial, and poured the Dust over each of his hands, careful not to prematurely set it off, as Dust in this form is extremely volatile.

' _This better work,'_ he thought. Carefully, he put his hands on the man's chest, steeled himself, and started it.

Jackson pumped Aura into the palm of his hands, right where the Dust is, causing some sort of reaction between the two, igniting the Dust and sending a high electrical current into the man's chest.

His chest jerked upwards, and fell to the ground again. People held their breaths, waiting for the results.

Nothing happened.

Jackson began to worry, afraid that it didn't work. He waited a little longer.

Nothing happened.

The crowd began to falter, as well as Weiss, at the failed attempt of revival. They all began to disperse.

Until they heard a loud gasp.

They all turned back, and were floored to what they saw.

The endangered man sat upright, eyes bulging out of his skull, taking in short breaths at high speeds.

Jackson was the first to act and try to calm the man down. "Hey hey hey," he said. "Calm down, you're okay now."

The man heard, but it didn't do anything to help him. Jackson then grabbed him by the shoulders and stared into his eyes.

"Hey, look at me," he said. "Slow your breathing, take deep breaths." Jackson basically held his hand through the process, but he got him to slow his breathing regardless.

However, what he didn't expect was for the man to wrap him in a hug, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Thank you," he said in a shaky voice. "You saved my life."

Jackson returned the hug to comfort him. "Don't worry about it. You would've done the same thing if someone's life was on the line."

The man only continued to sob into his shoulder, but stronger this time. This continued for a few minutes, until he composed himself and let go of Jackson.

Once they stood up, everyone crowded around him, applauding and thanking him for saving him.

Eventually, they dispersed, leaving only Weiss and Jackson. Jackson turned to Weiss to talk about what to do now, but was met with a warm smile from her, and her eyes, instead of an icy glare, was a calm, relaxing blue, like an ocean.

Suddenly Jackson felt uncomfortable. "What?" He asked. Never in his life has anyone other than his mother given him that kind of look, with Weiss being the last person to do such a thing.

"I saw something back there," said Weiss. "During the revival, you changed, back into _him_. You changed back into the person you once were, doing what he loved. It's been three years since I saw that. I hope he comes back soon."

Jackson blushed at what he heard. Now that he thinks about it, he hasn't really acted like that before. Regardless, it still felt weird to be noticed by it. "Once everything is said and done, maybe he will," he said.

Weiss would hold him to that. "Jackson, what made you think the Lightning Dust could have helped in any way?"

"The reason it came to mind was because I had hoped it could work as a defibrillator in some way," he said. "Again, he was going to die anyway, so it was worth a shot at trying."

"Still," Weiss said. "It was a smart idea. If only your semblance could work like that."

It was when Weiss mentioned that that Jackson had an idea. He turned on his heels and bolted to the clothing store, Sam still behind the counter, and surprised that they came back so soon.

"How much do you charge for Dust infused clothing?"

…

 _Beacon Dorms_

 _8:00 pm_

Weiss and Jackson had made their way back to their dorms after purchasing Lightning Dust infused gloves and eating in Vale.

Jackson realized after his experience in Vale that the gloves may make saving people much easier. Rather than make pathetic attempts at jump starting people's hearts through force, Jackson can now only fix the damage, and if the person's heart had stopped while sustaining these injuries, the gloves should be able to jump start it.

At least in theory.

Just because it worked once, doesn't mean it'll work a second time, and he has no intention of testing on anyone. The gloves would remain as a last resort, should anyone…

Jackson immediately pushed that thought out of his head, not wanting to think of it.

"Thanks for spending time with me Jackson," Weiss said.

"It was my pleasure," Jackson responded. "I said I'd make up for lost time, and I'm nowhere near done with that, so expect more of them."

Weiss smiled and turned to her dorm, hoping to get some shuteye. Jackson proceeded to do the same and entered his own dorm, as he was going to do a repeat of today (minus the heart attack hopefully), tomorrow.

…

Weiss couldn't sleep.

Ever since her revelation at the docks, she hasn't been able to focus on her friends or what they were saying.

Weiss only had _her_ on her mind once she set foot in her dorm, even when trying to sleep.

' _Could she have been there?'_ She thought. _'Could she have known about it?'_

' _Could she have_ _ **done**_ _it?'_

All these questions, yet no way to get an answer without arousing suspicion. But one thing was clear:

She was going to find out, one way or another. And when she does, she'll be thankfully wrong, or…

Well, only time will tell.

…

AN: **Yay! Only two weeks this time! I wonder what Weiss found out, hmmm? It's probably obvious, but who knows! Follow, favorite, but most importantly, review. I want to see what you guys think of the story, and where I could improve. I welcome all suggestions and criticism, so long as it's not with negative intentions. Until next time!**


	6. A Day(te) With A Rose

AN: **OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD. It's been so long without an update to this story! Sorry I haven't done it sooner, but with finals taking up most of my time during the hiatus, as well as prepping/leaving for a two-week college trip, I've found no time to work on this. And then, a week later, I'm on a plane to Mexico, along with some possible food poisoning.**

 **Yaaaayyy.**

 **But I'm here now, and more determined than ever on working on this story! Shout out to matrience and hirshja for following/favoriting the story. Welcome aboard! On to the story!**

Disclaimer: **I don't own anything aside from my OC.**

…

 _Screams, roaring flames, gunshots, and howls were all he could hear. And all he could see was fire, Grimm, and blood._

 _An endless amount._

 _Everything was tinted red, and he did nothing but witness the murder and destruction of his village, hiding behind the smoldering wreckage of a house, paralyzed in fear to do anything. People were dying, either by gunfire, or Grimm, and while he couldn't see where the gunfire originated from, he could see the Grimm slaughter crystal clear._

 _People that weren't given the luxury of being killed by gunfire were mutilated and horrendously slaughtered by Grimm. They were sliced in two, brutally dismembered, decapitated by a chomp to the head, or as brutal as being pierced in the stomach, internal organs falling out, desperately attempting to scoop it back up to where it was supposed to be. These were the most gutwrenching to witness, as they would rip out their organs, gutting them like a fish with their claws, or diving straight into it, slurping them up like spaghetti from the darkest corners of Hell, the pool of their own blood serving as the sauce._

 _Everything that he saw had scarred Jackson, his innocence and mentality deteriorating at a rapid pace. He gripped his revolver with one of iron, not being able to look away from the horror unfolding before him. He was a soul, a single, tainted soul, in the middle of Hell._

 _Suddenly, he heard a low growl from behind him. He began to hear his own heart beating, the sound getting stronger every second. Very slowly, he turned around, only to set his eyes upon a large beowolf, it's red beady eyes staring straight at him. It quickly swung its claws at Jackson, intending to end his life in one swift motion._

 _Jackson immediately threw his hands up in a feeble defense, and everything turned to black._

…

Jackson woke up with a loud gasp, a death grip on his revolver. He broke out into a cold sweat, breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down before he did something rash. Just as he regained control, the loud heartbeat thumped again, and he immediately aimed it at the source, hoping to blow it away.

As it would turn out, the apparent heartbeat was someone knocking on his door. He groaned, forcing himself to get out of bed and answer it, leaving the revolver on his desk, of course.

Once he opened his door, he was greeted by none other than Ruby Rose, with a large smile on her face, and her usual attire.

"Hey Jackson!" Ruby chirped. "How did you sleep last ni-"

She stopped abruptly as her eyes widened to an extreme degree, before blushing madly and averting her eyes from him. "Uh, J-Jackson?"

"Yes Ruby?" Jackson asked. It was made apparent that Jackson wasn't aware of what was happening, and it wasn't until Ruby pointed a finger at her did he realize what was wrong.

As far back as Jackson could remember, he always hated wearing pajama pants and a shirt, refusing to wear them. The only solution was to let him go topless and use a pair of black gym shorts, and he's done just that ever since. Even during the winter months, he would still stay in that, since he had the Fire Dust Lamps, and a bear skin blanket.

Now here he is, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, most of his scarred masculine body unobscured in front of a girl she met less than a week ago.

He immediately slammed the door in her face, changing into his new gear. Once finished, he opened his door again to see a mildly blushing Ruby.

"Heh, sorry about that," He said sheepishly. "I wasn't paying too much attention to what I was wearing when you knocked."

Ruby allowed herself a small smile. "I-It's fine Jackson," she replied. "I suppose it's partly my fault for being impatient."

Jackson smiled at her response. He grabbed his revolver and they began to walk towards the docks to get a Bullhead to Vale. Then he suddenly remembered. "Speaking of which, what time is it Ruby?"

Ruby pulled out her scroll to check the time. "It is currently 6:45 am."

"Oh God, really?" Jackson asked. "If that's the case, why are you up so early? Especially on a Sunday?"

"Well, uh," Ruby said. "When it comes to most things involving weapons, most people would call me obsessed, but I prefer the term _'Firearm Enthusiast'_."

This called for a raised eyebrow. "How enthusiastic?" Jackson asked.

"Weeeellllll…" When Ruby didn't fully answer, that's when Jackson's mind _**REALLY**_ started to wander.

…

...Oh…

... _Oh_ _ **GOD**_ …

You're a sick fuck, you know that Jackson?

' _It's been three years, alright? I've had… a lot of time on my hands.'_

That's not the only thing that's been on your hands.

' _One of these days I'm gonna find a way out of here, and when I do-'_

Yeah yeah, save it for your diary.

' _IT'S AN ENTRY JOURNAL!'_

"Um, Jackson?"

Jackson immediately snapped out of his state, finding himself already at the docks in what seemed like mere seconds during his argument. He turned his attention towards Ruby, who seemed to be trying to grab his attention. "What?"

"Did you hear what I said?"

"No," he said. "I spaced out for a moment. You mind repeating it?"

Ruby sighed. "I said, what do you think of weapons?"

"Pardon?"

"What I mean is, how do you feel when someone brings up weapons in a conversation?"

"That depends on the type of weapons," Jackson responded.

Ruby was surprised at his response. Most people couldn't care less about weapons unless it was their own. Because he seems to show interest for at least one category of weapons, it gave Ruby a little bit of hope.

She took a shot in the dark. "Modern day weapons?"

"Meh," was his response. "In all honesty, the Marksman Rifles would be the only thing that would reel me into a conversation regarding modern weaponry. Other than that, you're beating a dead horse."

Well, it's a start. "Okay, how about swords and battle axes?"

"Not interested."

She had to be more broad in hopes of finding something. "Great War Era weapons?"

Jackson immediately stiffened upon mention of the Great War. He turned his head directly towards her, slightly unsettling her. He quickly closed the gap between them before Ruby had a chance to back away. Mere inches from her, he uttered two words:

"Trench Gun."

Ruby was confused. "What?" She asked.

Jackson backed up and stood tall, hands clasped behind his back.

"The Winchester Model 1897," began Jackson. "One of the most iconic weapons used during The Great War. While the original models had 28 to 30 inch barrels depending on the caliber, the 1897s used during The Great War had been specially modified with 20 inch barrels and came with standard issue Buckshot ammunition, each shell containing nine .33 caliber buckshot pellets, the shotgun containing an ammo capacity of six shells. They came with a heat shield to protect the handler from the overheating barrel, as well as an adapter for attaching a bayonet. Because of the modifications made to suit Vale's needs, it became the go-to weapon during trench warfare, and earning the name, The Trench Gun, or Trench Sweeper, as dubbed by the troops of Vale."

Ruby was awestruck. Aside from the 40 year old gun nuts she would see on television, she has never encountered any other person that was as passionate of firearms as herself. At the first sentence, Ruby already knew what she was talking about, but she wanted to see how in-depth he could go, and so far, she hasn't been disappointed.

"Because of its brutal effectiveness and efficiency, Atlas and the other kingdoms feared the weapon and demanded it no longer be used during The War, as it was considered inhumane for causing unnecessary suffering, something that is banned in the apparent laws of Land Warfare. Vale's response? Well, you know the saying, 'All's fair in love and war.' Because of Vale's rejection, the kingdoms, mainly Atlas, had threatened to punish their POWs that had used the shotgun prior to their capture. However Vale had threatened to do the exact same thing with their own POWs of the same caliber should anything happen to their troops. Both sides had repealed their threats, and Vale had continued using the shotgun until the end of The War. They even found use for it after The War. Mistral had attempted to recreate the brutal firearm with intentions of using it for riot control, the only difference being it lacked a heat shield and a bayonet lug. Other than that, it was almost an exact copy of the ones used 80+ years ago. There were other iconic weapons used during The War, the M1 Garand, the Thompson, and let's not forget the ever so trusty standard issue Colt M191A1 sidearm, and the 1897 Trench Gun was no exception."

When finished, Ruby's jaw was on the floor, amazed and dumbstruck at the information Jackson had just given. Never had she encountered anyone with such knowledge about a gun, it even sounded like it came from the heart.

Ruby tried to find the words, but all that came out was, "Uh, ehm, ah, Jackso-, how di-, um-"

Jackson seemed to understand where Ruby was getting at, and saved her the humiliation of trying to speak properly. "I've always had an interest in The Great War," stated Jackson. "Mainly it was due to the weapons used during that time, but I would actually learn a few things about The War itself when reading about the weapons. Not only that, but it was such an iconic period in time for Humanity, as it revolved around individuality and diversity. Obviously individuality won, but imagine a world if that hadn't happened? A world where everything was uniform?"

Ruby let it sink in, and was horrified at the image in her head. Everything had come out a dull gray, with no diversity whatsoever, as well as very basic weaponry. They were basically clones, and Ruby did not like that.

A shiver went down her spine. "That'd be awful," she said.

Jackson nodded. "Yeah well, thankfully that never happened. Ride's here."

Sure enough, when Ruby turned around, there was a Bullhead waiting to take students, or rather, the only two weird enough to be up at this hour, into Vale.

They boarded the Bullhead, and were soon off towards Vale. Silence engulfed the cabin, and Ruby finally broke it when she decided to ask Jackson something. "Hey Jackson?"

Jackson turned his attention towards her, it's not like he had anything better to do.

"You seem to know a lot about the weapons used during The War," Ruby said. "As well as the reason it was fought. But were there any parts of it that stuck out to you or you found memorable? I ask because I kind of work the same way. Take an assassination, for example. The weapon of choice is a kind of motivator for me to research it. How was it used? What model? What ammunition?"

Jackson thought about what she was asking him, and suddenly remembered one special event, one that could make him smile even on some of his darkest days.

"There's this one time during The War," said Jackson. "Have you heard about The Christmas Truce of The Great War?"

"I've heard of it," admitted Ruby. "But I never bothered to really learn about it. They might've mentioned it in Dr. Oobleck's (just for you hirshja!), but not likely."

' _I'll have to speak with Oobleck after this then,'_ Jackson thought. "Regardless, I'll have to show you." Jackson took a moment to collect himself, then began.

"It was early in The War, morale was high and hatred was fresh on everyone's mind. Vale and Atlas were fighting each other in trench warfare, taking pot shots at each other from 250 yards away. Some would get lucky and land a hit on the opposition, others would be stupid enough to charge through the open field between them dubbed No Man's Land, and get themselves killed. Fast forward a few months, and Christmas is just a few days away. A member of the High Council had suggested a cease-fire between the nations, but they refused anything of the sort. However, that didn't stop the troops from performing their own unofficial cease-fire.

"After a loud discussion, both sides had agreed to the terms. Soon, troops from both sides had exited the trenches, braving No Man's Land. Eventually, both had met at the middle ground, exchanging handshakes and holiday greetings. The Valysians had dragged out the bodies to properly bury and pay respects, and used the open field to play a game of soccer. The Atlesians noticed and asked if they could join. Soon, an unofficial tournament between two nations had taken place, the Valysians taking home the imaginary cup, but it didn't stop there. They had celebrated throughout the night, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Morning, playing music, sharing cigarettes and chocolates and other assorted goods. But all good things don't last forever, as military officers intervened and broke up the friendliness between the opposing nations. Once Christmas had passed, the fighting had resumed, but there were soldiers that didn't want to fight anymore, and it took officers weeks to get them to fight again."

If Ruby hadn't been filled with wonder before, she sure as hell is now. An event in history like that has to have been huge, especially considering the reason The War was fought to begin with. Maybe Oobleck DID talk about it, there's no way on Remnant he wouldn't. Man, she really needs to pay attention more often.

"Wow," Ruby said. "That's just… Wow."

"Yeah," Jackson chuckled. "It's a story for the ages. It's always nice to remember events like these, because it always reminds me, that it doesn't matter if someone's out for blood, they're still human, and they can get along with others. Even the opposition."

Soon after, they had a rather long conversation on guns, new and old, while the Bullhead whisked them away to Vale.

…

Ruby and Jackson got off the Bullhead, now heading to the heart of the city of Vale. Ruby had mentioned of a gun shop she frequently visits, but had yet to specify a name. Because it was such a frequent stop for Hunters and Huntresses, out of town and locals, there were gun shops practically every two blocks.

"So, you gonna give me a name for this supposed gun shop of yours?" Asked Jackson.

"Be patient Jackson," Ruby said. "We're almost there… There it is!"

Sure enough, there was a shop they could see a few blocks away, a large sign overhead displaying the shop title. Jackson squinted his eyes in an effort to properly read the sign, and it was becoming more clear, clear enough to rea-

 _'You've got to be fucking kidding me.'_

 _Guns N' Roses_

Of course Ruby would come here for weapons. If she were to ever run a shop of her own, it would be this.

"*sigh* Why didn't I suspect it sooner?" Jackson asked. "Does it double over as a flower shop too?"

"Only for roses," Ruby asked, oblivious to the sarcasm in the question. "But they do colors of the whole spectrum."

Jackson smacked his face with an open palm. "Okay, good to know. Let's head inside, shall we?"

Ruby nodded and made their way in. Upon entering, Jackson was rather impressed with the inside.

Weapons of all sorts had decorated the walls, as well as some meticulously placed roses along the walls as well. There were rose bushes every five feet, all of them different colors, or mixed. Shelves of ammunition had taken up the center space, ranging from small caliber bullets, to custom made high caliber dust rounds. Jackson assumed Ruby leaned more towards the latter, and himself in some cases.

A woman with a nose ring and tattoos covering her arms behind the counter had noticed Ruby, and a huge smile was on her face as she waved them over, Ruby making her way towards her.

"Ruby!" The woman shouted, obviously happy to see her. "Welcome back to the store! And who's your friend?"

"Hi Vic, it's good to be here," Ruby responded. "And this is my new friend, Jackson."

Vic held out her hand. "The name's Victoria Violet," she said. "But most people call me Vic for short."

He took the hand. "Jackson Wesson," he replied. "Quite the setup you got here Vic."

Vic chuckled. "Well, it doesn't suit everyone, but Ruby here has certainly taken a liking to it. Ever since she found this place, she's been coming here on a weekly basis to ogle at the new shipments or just talk. Not that I don't appreciate the company." Ruby smiled sheepishly as everything she said was true.

"So! What brings you here today, Little Red?"

"I need to restock on ammo for Crescent Rose. Do you have my order?"

"Indeed I do, Ruby," Vic replied. "Just a moment."

Vic disappeared behind a door to retrieve Ruby's ammunition. After hearing some shuffling behind the door, it opened to reveal Vic with a box, and with the heavy thud it made on the counter, it was heavy.

"Alright, here it is," Vic said. "Your custom made sniper rounds." She then turned her attention towards Jackson. "What about you, packing any heat?"

Jackson pulled out his revolver, Vic's eyes widening slightly.

"Got anything for a .500 Magnum?"

Vic regained her composure. "I've got almost anything you want. Hollow Point, Full Metal Jacket, Special Dust Rounds, etc. Although I've gotta say, it's been awhile since I've seen someone walk in with that, so I'll only have a few cases of each type."

Jackson pondered for a moment. "How about R.I.P Bullets?"

Vic stiffened. "Now you're talking about some serious firepower there cowboy, especially for your caliber. You sure you can handle it?"

"Vic, if you knew what I've been through, you'd know that R.I.P Bullets are going to be the least of my concerns. Now, you don't happen to have any Radically Invasive Projectile Bullets, would you?"

After eyeing Jackson for a moment, Vic nodded and went to retrieve it.

While Ruby was confused about what just occurred. "Um, Jackson?" She asked. "What exactly are R.I.P Bullets?"

Jackson turned his attention towards her, befuddled she doesn't know. "You don't know about the R.I.P Bullet? With the reputation it has, I'm surprised a 'weapon enthusiast' such as yourself doesn't know about it."

"Hey, there's a difference between weapons and bullets," Ruby said. "Weapons are an extension of ourselves."

"And bullets are an extension of the weapon, as well as yourself" Jackson countered. "Bullets show what kind of person you can be, just like a weapon does. Some bullets are made for a quick and clean kill, not meant to inflict any more damage or pain than is needed. This shows that someone must do what is necessary, but doesn't want to make them suffer more than they have to."

"Here ya go." Vic placed six boxes worth of R.I.P Bullets onto the counter, right next to Ruby's custom made ammunition. "It's all I've got, and it's usually the amount people ask for."

Jackson smirked as he began to unbox one of them, intending to show off the bullet.

"And there are others that want to make as much damage, and as much pain as physically possible." Jackson pulled out a bullet, and laid it on the counter for Ruby to see.

She was scared of it.

Standing before her was a .500 bullet, with the top looking like a crown with eight points to it, and a small gap between each of them, allowing the points to break off and spread out once it hits its target, with one hole in the entry point, and nine holes at the exit point, one hole the center of it all from the base of the bullet.

"Apparently Ruby doesn't know about the R.I.P Bullet, Vic. You don't happen to have any gel blocks, do you?" Jackson asked.

Vic flashed a devilish grin. "We have an indoor gun range on the other side of the store, and gel blocks nearby. Take a bullet, and show Ruby here what they're made of."

Jackson nodded and headed towards the shooting range, Ruby following suit.

Ruby asked the question that was bothering her. "What do R.I.P Bullets do, Jackson?"

"So much more than is necessary," Jackson said. "Basically, what happens is when the bullet is fired and hits its target, the hole in the middle allows for whatever it hits to fill that space, and eventually cause the separate tips to break off and spread outwards. If shot in the stomach or chest, each piece will veer off course from the original path, and strike other vital organs, such as intestines, lungs, liver, etc., guaranteeing a kill, a very painful, very agonizing kill."

Ruby was petrified as the description, unable to process why anyone would do such a thing to a living creature, animal, human, or faunus.

Eventually, they made their way to the gun range, and just as Vic said, there were ballistic gel blocks nearby to test out ammunition, as it gives an accurate depiction of what would happen if used on a living thing. Jackson grabbed one of the bigger ones, because of the caliber, and placed it downrange to test out the bullet.

Once walking back to the gallery, Jackson pulled out the bullet for Ruby to get a good look at it one last time. He pulled out his revolver and opened up the cylinder, emptying all five chambers and placing the bullet in one of them. Flicking the cylinder in place, he pulled back the hammer, and aimed it downrange, right at the gel block.

"Watch this," Jackson said. With the pull of the trigger, he sent the bullet downrange, and just like it's been dubbed, it's the last round you will ever need.

The middle part of the block was absolutely destroyed because of the high caliber of the revolver, that much they could see from where they were. But as they made their way to the block to inspect it further, that's where it really shined.

The middle part was basic enough, in one way, out the other. However, like tree roots, the bullet pieces branched outward, eight separate wound channels visible from the original shot. All eight of them had spread outwards, covering a much larger area than a regular bullet, and thus having a much more devastating effect.

After the inspection, Ruby had a chill go down her spine, not even wanting to imagine being on the receiving end. It was a nasty little bullet.

"If by some miracle the main bullet doesn't get the job done, the other eight sure as hell will," Jackson remarked.

While she didn't approve of such sadistic methods, Ruby was impressed nonetheless. She could even go as far as recommending it to others, but wouldn't want to be the reason for something's agonizingly agonizing agony. "You can say that again," Ruby said.

Soon after, they returned to Vic, satisfied with their product testing. Vic checked out the RIP Ammo, coming in at 288 Lien. Before he could pay, she looked over at Ruby's direction.

"You know the usual amount," Vic said.

Ruby nodded and went to retrieve her wallet, and after a few seconds, certainty turned to confusion, and then to frantic searching soon after.

"M-My wallet!" Ruby exclaimed. "I don't have it on me! I-I must've left it at my dorm! Please, I'll bring extra next time, but I nee-"

"Now hold on," Jackson said. "No reason to get worked up over nothing. I'll pay for you Ruby."

Ruby froze, processing what Jackson said, and eyes suddenly full of hope.

"Really?" Ruby asked. "I don't want to be a financial burden, so it's alright if you-"

Jackson put up a hand, silencing Ruby. He turned back towards Vic. "So, how much will the new total add up to?"

"Let's see," Vic said. "288 Lien, plus the custom made rifle rounds add up to… 1500 Lien even."

Jackson stopped, and shot a look at Ruby, who shrunk under the stare.

"How many bullets do you use, Ruby?" Jackson asked.

Ruby was suddenly confused at the question. "You mean, you're not surprised about the price?"

"I know that custom made bullets don't cost a ridiculous amount to make, considering I just bought 120 bullets for 288 Lien. What I'm surprised is the amount of bullets needed for a whopping 1212 Lien. How many bullets do you buy?"

…

Soon after dispatching a pack of beowolves, and then some, she dropped to the ground, making a dramatic pose right in front of the moon, savoring her victory.

Then shell casings began to rain, littering the area for ten feet in every direction, casings no more than 2 inches apart from each other.

Ruby looked around at the spent ammunition, and only one thing came to mind.

"Crap."

…

"Enough," said Ruby, mildly blushing at her excessive use of bullets. "That's all you need to know!"

Jackson chuckled, and proceeded to give Vic his Lien Card. After a quick swipe, the machine beeped happily, and both were out the door soon after, along with their purchases.

"Wait a minute," Jackson said. "Weren't you originally supposed to be looking for upgrades?"

"No, not really," Ruby said. "Truth be told, I always used that tactic on Yang anytime I had to restock, otherwise she wouldn't be interested and I'd be forced to go alone. It was more a force of habit than an empty promise."

Jackson nodded, understanding the reason behind it, even though it is deceiving.

"Thanks for buying my ammo for me Jackson," Ruby said. "I hope I didn't make a dent in your account."

"I have more Lien than I'll ever know what to do with," Jackson chuckled. "It was no problem."

"Really?" Ruby asked. "How much do you have?"

"Hmm… somewhere under 1 million Lien."

Ruby almost dropped her ammo cache at the mention of 1 million.

"1 million?!" Ruby shrieked. "Why do you have so much?! HOW do you have so much?!"

Jackson really didn't want to explain why he has so much, so he decided to tell a very vague truth.

"Let's just say my friends and family all chipped in."

"Wow," Ruby said. "Either you know a bunch of people, or the few you know are really rich. Or _both._ "

' _oH rUbY, If onLy You KnEw,'_ thought Jackson.

Just as he finished his thought, they both heard a loud rumble nearby, both of them pulling out their weapons and looking for the source of the disturbance, fearing it may be Grimm. After a moment of silence, the loud rumble returned, and Jackson was able to pinpoint the disturbance, pulling back the hammer and immediately aiming at the source,

And ended up aiming at Ruby.

Ruby was now immediately scared, and Jackson was now confused, but one more rumble had cleared up everything.

Jackson laughed and disarmed the revolver, holstering it and turned his body towards Ruby. "There's no monster," Jackson said. "That's just your stomach. Although that hunger of yours has a right in itself to be called a monster."

Ruby turned a light shade of red after realizing that beast of a sound was herself wanting food.

"Come on Ruby, I know a place," Jackson said. Ruby nodded her head and followed him to wherever he was taking them.

…

Ruby had been following him like a duckling and her mother, and the rumbles had brought more attention than she preferred, her face sinking deeper and deeper into her hood as time passed. After ten minutes of walking, Jackson had finally stopped.

Eventually, Ruby had popped her head out of her hood, and saw a small building with blue and red neon lights, the restaurant's name lighting up for all to see:

 _Forever Fall Diner_

"A diner?" Ruby asked.

"Not just any diner," Jackson said. "This place has the best burgers in the city, and a mean rack of ribs. Plus their milkshakes aren't bad. Come on, let's get that stomach of yours under control, as well as my own. I'm pretty famished myself."

They made their way into the diner, and Ruby was immediately drooling from the smell that entered her nostrils the moment they opened the door.

The restaurant had an old-timey feel to it, as the walls were covered head-to-toe in old memorabilia, most of it from iconic celebrities ranging to actors/actresses, to superstars in baseball, basketball, and football. This place was almost like a museum, but it served food, which made it even better.

A waitress had seemingly come out of nowhere and greeted the both of them.

"Howdy!" She said, a country accent accompanying the greet. "I'm Leslie, I'll be your waitress today. Let me take you to your seat."

Jackson smiled and nodded before being led to a nice little window booth, giving them full view of the bustling people and regular life occurring in the streets of Vale.

"Alright then," Leslie said. "Can I start you off with anything to drink?"

"I'll just have a glass of water," Jackson said.

"Alright, glass of water," Leslie mumbled. "And how about you, miss?"

"Milk please," Ruby said in a semi-quiet voice.

After writing it down on a small piece of paper, she spoke up again. "Alright! I'll be right back with your drinks, just a moment!" And with that, she left to go retrieve their beverages.

Soon, she returned with their drinks in hand, giving them to their respective owners.

"Alright," Leslie said. "Do you two know what you're gonna order?"

"I do," Jackson said. "Ruby, what about you?"

"I haven't been here before," Ruby said. "I don't know what's good. Do you have any recommendations Jackson?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Jackson turned toward the waitress. "Two bacon cheeseburgers with fries, please."

"You got it," Leslie said. Once she wrote down the order, she left the two to themselves.

"Well Ruby," Jackson said. "We have some time before they come out with our orders. Why don't we spend this time to get to know each other?"

"What do you want to know?" Ruby asked.

Jackson got comfortable. "I've heard about you before. I couldn't put my finger on it when we… first met, but I figured it out. You were the girl that stopped the robbery of a dust shop a while back, and pretty well I might add. What I want to know is how did a sweet, 15 year old girl manage to stop a robbery and make it into a prestigious Huntsmen Academy two years earlier than everyone else?"

"Well, to start things off," Ruby said. "I wasn't always like this."

Jackson smiled and raised his eyebrows. "Oh please, do tell."

"Back then, I was total _garbage_. I couldn't do anything right, at least, that's what it felt like. Then, a teacher from Signal Academy helped me make Crescent Rose and taught me how to use her." She then proceeded to make kung-fu gestures. " Now I'm all like, _waaah, hoooooaaaahhhh._ "

Jackson laughed at her performance. "So what, some dusty old crow decided to take you under their wing?"

"Not just any old crow," Ruby said. "My Uncle Qrow! He's a Huntsman, and he taught me everything I know today!"

"And that was enough to get in two years early?" Jackson asked.

"Apparently," Ruby said. "But the downside to it is now I have to start at square one again with friends, and keep up with the others. I can fight just fine, but the two year jump made me miss out on some academics. But, I've got an amazing team to help me. What about you, Jackson? I don't really know much of you."

Jackson wanted more time before he's willing to let up sensitive information. "What's there to tell?" He said. "I came from a rural village, I've known the heiress to the SDC for almost half my life, and I've hunted in the Emerald Forest for three years. Most skills I have now were through trial and error, and adjusting to the weapons I have."

"Speaking of weapons," Ruby said. "I've noticed something. The revolver is just fine, but it's the bow that bugs me. The drawback needed to fire is much more than what you'll find in modern day compounds. Obviously money isn't an issue, so why not trade it out?"

"Ruby," Jackson stated, "I wouldn't trade the bow for the world. I've grown accustomed to it, so pulling back the string is nothing. Not only that, but it's a family heirloom. It's the only souvenir I have from them."

"Why don't you just go visit them?" Ruby asked. "You walked back to them on foot when you went to grab some stuff for your dorm, it shouldn't be an issue."

Even though Ruby doesn't realize it, she's cutting deep now. "I haven't seen them in a long time," Jackson quietly said. "Before you ask, there's a reason as to why I can't, something I'd rather not get into right now."

Soon she found out she struck a nerve, and desperately tried to undo the damage. "Oh no Jackson, I'm so sorry! I didn't know, I was jus-"

Jackson held up a hand, silencing her. "It's fine Ruby," Jackson said. "You didn't know. All I ask is that you put a little more thought into what you say when you ask me something.

"Going back to what you were saying about the bow," Jackson said, quick to change the subject. "Not only is it a family heirloom, it's also a way to keep my mind, and my eyes, sharp. With this, I have nothing but my mind to properly guide the arrow once I take aim. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've missed my target when first using it, but after an amount of trial and errors I'd rather not admit had passed, most of it's now automatic, in a way. Once I pull back the arrow, I black out and the calculated part of my mind takes over. The shot will either make it, or break it, so it's crucial that it lands on the first shot."

Jackson heard footsteps coming from behind him, and when he turned around, all seriousness disappeared from his face and the air around him, a smile now occupying his face.

"But that's a story for another time," Jackson said. "Our food's here."

Sure enough, Ruby saw Leslie walk up to their table with a plate in each hand.

"Hey there!" Leslie exclaimed. "Here's your orders. Enjoy!"

…

They both walked out of the diner, satisfied and full. Ruby had never had a burger like that in her life, and definitely sees herself coming back to the diner.

"That was delicious," Jackson said. "I couldn't be more satisfied."

Ruby checked her scroll, only to see it had just turned 3:30 pm. "What do we do now?" Ruby asked. "We still have a good amount of time before sunset."

Jackson had… other plans, and while he didn't want to abandon Ruby, he really had to meet his i-

 _*Ding*_

Jackson looked down to his scroll to find out he had received a message, but the number was blocked.

 _Jack,_

 _I can't make the meeting, some stuff came up last second. We'll have to reschedule._

 _I'll send you the details later._

 _-Informant_

' _Huh,'_ Jackson thought.

"Well, I was supposed to meet someone, but they had some stuff come up, so now I have the afternoon free," Jackson said. "Have you ever gone hunting, Ruby?"

"Kind of," Ruby replied. "When I first started off with Crescent Rose, my uncle would take me out into the forest to use on Grimm, but never on the living wildlife. I'd just end up turning them into a cloud of red mist if I landed the shot."

"Well, there's no time like the present!" Jackson exclaimed. "Let's get back to Beacon to pick up my bow, and we'll head into the Emerald Forest to hunt."

"Okay," Ruby said. "Sounds like a plan to me."

…

 _Beacon Dorms_

 _One Hour Later_

Team WBY sat in their dorms, finding whatever they could to pass the time. They had all woken up to find Ruby's bed empty, and Jackson's door hadn't opened when they knocked.

They found their daily schedule to be quite bland without their red ball of energy to throw a wrench in their plans. And now, they were on the brink of boredom induced insanity.

Right as Yang was about to wreak havoc, they all heard the door next to them open, which happens to be Jackson's dorm. WBY piled out of their dorm and into the hallway, and found Ruby and Jackson just exiting his room, with his bow in tow.

"Ruby!" Yang exclaimed. She ran over and gave her sister a bear hug, turning Ruby's face blue in the process. "I'm so happy you're back!"

"Can't… breathe," Ruby managed to wheeze out.

"Oops!" Yang let go of Ruby, allowing her to gulp a large amount of air, her face soon returning to normal color. "Sorry about that," Yang said. "It's just that it's been so BORING without you around. But you're here now, and we still have time to do something fun!"

Ruby visibly cringed at her sister's excitement, and looked towards Jackson, hoping he got the message.

Thankfully he did, and spoke up the break the news. "Actually Yang, Ruby and I came back to retrieve my bow, and we were gonna go hunting in the Emerald Forest once I got it."

Yang was dumbfounded, and even a little angry. "B-But why?" Yang asked. "What about your team? Your friends, your family?"

"Jackson is my friend!" Ruby exclaimed, suddenly becoming more courageous. "He also plays support, so technically, he's part of our team too! Besides, he was willing to come with me on my ammo run for Crescent Rose when the rest you wouldn't. You guys either had other plans, or were just plain uninterested. Don't think I forgot what happened on our first day at Beacon, Yang! You ditched me and left me all alone in a confused state!"

Yang was about to argue, but realized she was right, in a way. Yang did leave Ruby behind in a time where she needed her, and she still felt a little guilty about it. Also, what was said about Jackson was true as well, although the friend part was still debatable in her mind.

Nevertheless, Yang slumped her head in defeat, and just remained silent, not finding the will to ruin Ruby's plans after what she presented to her and the rest of RWBY, Blake and Weiss staying silent as well.

Ruby nodded, and turned to Jackson. "So, are there any spots you like to use when hunting?"

Jackson became thoughtful, remembering all the spots he used when hunting big game. "Oh, I've got one!" Jackson blurted out. "It's difficult to get to, but it's a perfect spot for clear shots. Also, keep in mind that hunting is a waiting game, so you might want to bring something to occupy the time."

Ruby quickly nodded and dashed into her dorm, coming out with an MP3 and a pair of headphones. Jackson had done the exact same thing whilst retrieving his bow and quiver. Once they felt like they had what they needed, they headed out, leaving WBY to mope about.

…

 _Emerald Forest_

 _30 Minutes After Departure_

Jackson and Ruby were walking through the lush forest, hoping to find the supposed sweet spot for big game. While he couldn't remember exactly where it was, Jackson knew the general area, and would know where it is once he saw it.

"Hey Jackson," Ruby said, breaking the silence and catching Jackson's attention. "You said this spot was perfect for clean shots. What makes it so good?"

"To start off," Jackson stated, "It's very close to the edge of a clearing, and there are almost no trees to obstruct my view, giving me an almost full 180-degree field of vision. Also, it's high up in the tree, meaning I'm usually safe from any wandering predators. Except for maybe a hawk or something."

After another five minutes of walking, Jackson held up his hand, signaling for Ruby to stop.

"We're in the right area," Jackson said. "All we need to find now is… Aha! There!"

Jackson had pointed off to some random direction, and after following his finger, Ruby found a unique tree from the rest, and assumed that's what he was pointing to.

The tree in question was bigger than the ones surrounding it, and it had steps hammered into the trunk, leading up out of eyesight.

"Let's go," Jackson said, and began climbing his way up the tree before Ruby could ask any questions. She sighed and followed suit.

After maybe two minutes of climbing, Ruby found herself in a little fort of sorts, a wooden pad put on top of two separate branches, held together by what looks like rope, along with a foldable chair. The pad was big enough to accompany the both of them, but because Jackson never thought he'd be sharing it with another person,

like, ever,

they were a bit cramped on the small wooden rectangle. Thankfully, Ruby didn't mind hanging her feet over the ledge, and just swung them back and forth.

Jackson chuckled at her behavior. Here she was, attending an academy meant to train the most effective Hunstmen/Huntresses in the world, meant to fight the Grimm, the very creation of darkness without remorse or hesitation, and yet she acts like a ten year old sitting on a swing.

' _Better cherish your innocence while you can Ruby,'_ Jackson thought. _'yOu nEveR knOw wHen iT'lL bE tAkEn awAy.'_

"Ruby," Jackson said, catching her attention. "Have you ever used a bow before?"

"No, not really," Ruby said. "But how hard can it be?"

"That depends," Jackson said. "How keen are you on having wooden shrapnel penetrate your arms and face?"

Ruby gulped. "Not very."

"Rule one," Jackson stated. "NEVER dry fire a bow. In other words, never pull back the string and let go without an arrow." Ruby quickly nodded, his point having been clearly made.

"Good," Jackson said. "Take the bow."

Ruby got on her feet and grabbed Jackson's bow. It was extremely light, like a large feather.

"How strong are you Ruby?" Jackson asked.

Ruby was caught off guard by the question. No one really ever asked her about her physique, other than Yang or a doctor.

"I-I'm not sure," Ruby said, unsure of herself.

"Really?" Jackson asked. "Why do you sound so unsure of yourself? You carry a scy-fle that's bigger than you, and it also shoots bullets that are a caliber on par with my own, or even higher, the scythe most likely made out of a highly durable metal, so as to not leave even a scratch on it after using it an excessive amount of times. I've seen you swing that thing around, and it's pretty impressive. That bow requires 44 pounds of drawback force, and I'm pretty sure it's within your range."

Ruby nodded and pulled back the string while having her arm fully extended (thankfully she knew that much). She was a little surprised at the strength the bow required, but quickly dismissed it and pulled it all the way back towards her mouth with relative ease. Ruby kept in mind what Jackson said about the dry fire, so she paid attention to her grip on the string, so as to not accidentally release it. As far as she was concerned, she felt like she was already a natura-

' _Wait, did Jackson just praise me on my physique?'_

Ruby suddenly grew red in the face, and her arms began to shake as she began to lose control over her arms, soon giving way under the tension and losing grip on the bow and string. There was a bass-like thum as Ruby lost grip on the string, and the bow clattered to the ground, thankfully undamaged.

But that didn't stop Jackson from having a near-heart attack, and on the verge of gutting her like a fish.

Jackson quickly grabbed the bow, frantically checking for any cracks or splinters in the wood. After feeling sure no damage was done to the bow, he turned towards Ruby, a crazed look in his eye.

"You know what?" Jackson said, his voice a little shaky. "Why don't you be my spotter for today?"

Ruby nodded, red as a tomato, embarrassed/flattered from recent events. Jackson saw her response, and went to position himself in the best way possible once an elk or boar crosses his line of sight.

"Ruby, do you have any way of determining distance?" Jackson asked.

"C-Crescent Rose has a range finder built into the scope," Ruby said, still recovering from the bow blunder.

"That'll do," Jackson said. "Is there any way for you to pull it out without fully extending it?"

"Yeah." With the push of a button, Crescent Rose had extended from its blocky shape, into an oversized rifle, almost to the point of an Atlas 20mm Sniper Rifle, but without the shoulder mount. It didn't fully extend its melee component, which he was grateful for.

"Put that to the side for now," Jackson said. "Usually it takes a while before I see anything come out into the clearing, what with Grimm infesting the forest and all that. So, now is a good time to bring out those headphones and just pass the time."

Ruby nodded, laying down Crescent Rose and reaching into her string backpack, pulling out her scroll and headphones. After putting them on, Ruby had put her playlist on shuffle, and starting off with Jeff Williams: I May Fall.

" _Yessssss_ " Ruby said. "No better way to start off the playlist than _I May Fall_."

"Oh, you listen to Jeff Williams?" Jackson asked. "He's a really good artist, he's got some top quality songs, I May Fall being at the top of my list. However, most of my playlist is made up of another artist."

"Is that so?" Ruby questioned, feigning offense. "Who do you think is better than Jeff Williams that he would make up a majority of your playlist?"

Jackson smiled. "Ever heard of Jon Bellion?"

That rang a very small bell in Ruby's head. "I've heard of him, but only once or twice, never really bothered to check out any of his songs."

"You don't have to do it now, but you need to search up some of his songs. One of his best songs to start off with is called _Run Wild_."

Ruby nodded. "Alright, I'll look into it when we get back. In the meantime, I guess we just wait."

Jackson nodded. "Yeah, this is probably the most boring part of hunting, but at least we have something to occupy the time. Just make sure to glance at the clearing for any wildlife every once in awhile, I'll be doing the same." And with that, he put in his own earbuds and enjoyed the musical accompaniment of Jon Bellion.

…

 _45 Minutes Later_

Jackson and ruby were on the verge of throwing themselves off the platform to alleviate themselves of their utter boredom. Jackson didn't think it would take this long for an animal to pop into the clearing. Sure, music was a great way to pass the time, but it can only do so much when the same song somehow manages to be played every 2-3 tracks. Ruby had moved from lounging about to picking up Crescent Rose and scouting the area in a desperate attempt to find something, anything.

"Find anything Ruby?" Jackson called out, his voice muffled from the hood engulfing his head 15 minutes ago.

Ruby continued to look for something, but saw nothing but an open field. She was about to put Crescent Rose down, but something caught her eye before she could do so. Focusing on the point of interest, Ruby noticed a shake in the underbrush near the opposite end of the clearing.

"I might have something Jackson," Ruby called out. Jackson sat upright, and popped his head from his engulfing hood. Picking up his bow and quiver, he dashed next to Ruby, looking for whatever Ruby found. Soon, he could see a disturbance in the exact same spot Ruby was looking at, although it was more difficult to pick out without any kind of optical assistance.

After holding their breath for what seemed like an eternity, it finally walked out into the open, revealing itself to be a large, majestic elk. Jackson couldn't pinpoint exactly how many points were on it, but the rack was enormous.

"Holy shit," Jackson whispered. "How many points do you count?"

"Points?" Ruby asked.

"The total amount of tips from the elk's antlers," Jackson clarified.

Ruby quickly counted the points, and said to Jackson, "I count 14, maybe 12, it's hard to get an exact amount from this distance."

Whether it was 12 or 14, it was still an impressive point count. "How far out is it?" Asked Jackson.

"My scope says 73-ish yards," Ruby responded. "That's a pretty big distance for a wooden bow, you sure you can make that shot?"

"I've shot up to 80 yards before," Jackson said. "But my comfort range is 70 and below, so I'm pushing it a little here."

Jackson goes through the 11 proper steps of archery in his head.

' _1: Stance_

 _2: Nock_

 _3: Set Draw Hand_

 _4: Set Bow Hand_

 _5: Pre-Draw_

 _6: Draw_

 _7: Anchor_

 _8: Aim_

 _9: Shot Set-Up'_

Jackson had gone through the first nine steps in a fluid motion, only pausing at the ninth to make any adjustments deemed necessary. He didn't sense any wind, and the elk's body was perpendicular to his arrow. Once he felt like he was perfectly lined up, he took a deep breath.

' _10: Relea-'_

Jackson's left bicep twitched, which was holding the bow, throwing off the arrow just as he released it from his hand. It may have been a minute change in placement, but over a large distance, can turn out quite large.

' _11: Follow Through/Reflect_

… _Fuck.'_

It was too late now, for the arrow was already on its set course. Rather than pierce the elk's lungs as he originally intended, the muscle twitch had tugged the bow to the left, causing the arrow to hit the gut and come out clean through the other side. Now, instead of a quick and clean kill, the elk's taken off into the forest, wounded rather badly. It is indeed a fatal wound, but it will take quite a while before it finally happens, and Jackson has no intentions of attracting any nearby predators.

"Dammit," Jackson muttered. "Come on Ruby, we have to go find the elk."

Ruby didn't really feel like tracking down the elk, but she could understand where Jackson was coming from in regards to his botched shot. She nodded and they both made their way down.

Tracking the wounded animal wasn't a difficult task, as they saw the direction it went, as well as a trail of blood leading the way. Jackson seemed to be moving rather quickly, faster than what Ruby would have expected for a wounded animal.

"Why are you moving so quick?" Ruby asked. "Obviously you don't care THAT much for animals, why else are you so fast?"

"With a wounded animal, we run the risk of attracting nearby Grimm," Jackson responded.

"Wait, what?" Ruby asked. "How? Elks don't give off emotion… Do they?"

"Yes and no," Jackson said. "Animals like elk, boar, and deer don't have as complex of emotions as us, or so we say. But they still feel pain, and while it may not trigger an emotion, per se, it still gives off a negative aura. Yes, it's unjust to leave an animal to suffer longer than is necessary, but with a negative aura emanated, as well as the scent of fresh blood, Grimm will be going ballistic over it."

While giving an explanation, neither of them noticed they had stumbled upon a pack of beowolves feasting on the elk's corpse. It was only when the odor reached their nostrils did they snap out of it to witness what was occurring before them.

Based on how long they took, Jackson was already sort of expecting this to have happened. Ruby, on the other hand, wasn't taking it quite as well. She may have killed countless Grimm, but it's a different story when watching Grimm tearing apart a living entity. That seems to be the biggest thing Hunters-In-Training forget about or are unprepared for: the death of humans and faunus by the hands of a Grimm, and with the ever-growing White Fang, the possibility of killing another human being. Ruby was hiding it somewhat well, but Jackson could tell that she was at the very least disturbed at the event unfolding before her.

Before they knew it, the Grimm had stopped munching on the elk, and snapped their heads in their direction, apparently sensing Ruby's discomfort. But it wasn't just her, Jackson flinched when he turned over to Ruby to see how she was handling it.

The pair had drawn out their weapons, Jackson using his revolver rather than the bow for damage. "Alright Ruby," Jackson said. "I don't know if you'll be able to use your weapon to its fullest capabilities, the trees around us don't give you much space to use it without putting me at risk."

Ruby knew this to be true, even though Crescent Rose could easily cut the trees down. "I may not be able to use my scythe," Ruby said, "But I can still shoot them, even from a mile away." She pulled out her scyfle, and loaded it, a confident smile on her face.

Jackson smiled as well, seeing Ruby fully confident in her abilities despite certain restrictions. It made Jackson feel better about facing the Grimm before them. "You ready?" Jackson asked.

"Always," responded Ruby.

"Alright. On the count of three. One-"

 _*THWACK!*_

Before Ruby knew it, she saw Jackson's figure fly off in front of her, his revolver landing a few feet in front of her, past the beowolves and out of sight, hearing a loud _CRACK_ off in the distance. After flinching at the snap, Ruby turns to her right, to see an Ursa standing on its hind legs, staring down at her menacingly. It was an Ursa Major, most likely attracted by the elk as well, and it was more than capable of running off the packs of beowolves. While the Ursa would be a challenge, it was slow and clumsy, and with her speed, she'd be able to outmaneuver it easily. Her main focus went to the beowolves, as they can surround her and converge on her all at once.

Now that Jackson wasn't at risk of being sliced in half, she fully extended Crescent Rose, slicing away at the trees surrounding her to have more space to move freely. The beowolves howled in eagerness and anticipation. Neither Ruby or the beowolves moved, waiting for the other to make the first move, the Ursa more than happy to get things started.

The large Grimm had swung at Ruby, but she was able to easily evade the attack with her speed and the slowness of the swipe, putting distance between herself and the Ursa. The beowolves saw this as their chance to attack while Ruby was distracted, and they jumped at the opportunity. One of them had gotten within arm's reach of Ruby, but was sliced in half at the twirl of her scythe, the others undeterred. There was a total of 12 beowolves, and 11 remained. They had spread themselves out after witnessing the slaughter of one of their pack members, surrounding her and leaving no room to escape. Once Ruby was at the center, they charged. However, instead of moving all at once, the pack had gone one at a time, one moving almost immediately after the one prior to them had gone.

Because that's how shit works in fight scenes, apparently.

The first beowolf also attempted to swipe at her, but she dashed back, and with its arm outstretched, she seized the opportunity to bring down her scythe and dismember the beowolf. It reeled back in agony, giving an opening for the next one to come in and attack as well. However, the second attempted to bite Ruby, only to result in a decapitation, it's corpse already dissolving before it hit the floor. Every other beowolf met a similar fate, with a few still alive, but writhing in pain from suffering a dismemberment. She had enough humanity in her to put them out of their misery, no matter how evil they were.

Now that the beowolves were no longer a threat, she turned back to the Ursa. She must have dashed a good distance away, because it was still lumbering over to her position. Once it reached her, she reloaded Crescent Rose, and was ready to tussle with the Ursa. All she needed was a good opening to-

" _ **DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THAT URSA!**_ "

Gunshots had come from behind the Ursa, and while it didn't put it down, it definitely penetrated the thick skin, and embedded itself in the thick hide. The Ursa roared in pain and turned in the direction of the shots.

Jackson stood in an aggressive stance, a death grip on the revolver, splotches of blood on his clothing, and a psychotic look in his eyes. He's ready to make this Ursa suffer every second from here on out.

" _ **THIS OVERGROWN SACK OF SHIT IS MINE.**_ " Jackson reloaded his revolver in what seems like a flash, and fires off all five shots towards the Ursa, each one making their mark. The Ursa has yet to succumb to Jackson's attack, and charges towards him, although a little sluggish and clumsily. It attempts to swipe at Jackson like before, but he wasn't having any of it. Rather than attempt to dodge the attack, his revolver transforms into its Bowie knife counterpart, and he sticks it out to his side, prepping his body for the force of the impact. The Ursa's paw slammed into the knife, embedding it deep into the palm of its paw, all the way to the hilt while pushing Jackson across the grassy surface. Jackson used this opportunity to aggressively rip the knife out of its palm, and use the steel knuckles to sock the Ursa clean across the face with an aura kick to it, knocking it on its back. The spikes protruding from its back stabbed themselves into the soft earth, rendering the Ursa defenseless like a turtle on its shell.

Jackson could've put a bullet between its eyes and be done with it. But instead, he hopped on to the creature, and began to wail on its face, unrelenting and laughing all the while, seeming to relish every moment. The Grimm tried to defend itself from Jackson, but any effort to do so resulted in a slash to its arms. Eventually, it was far too tired to defend itself, and slowly lost its grip on its life. Even as it began to dissolve, Jackson didn't give up on his attack, and soon every hit would knock off a large chunk of the corpse, a large plume of black smoke resulting from it.

Finally, the corpse had dissipated completely, leaving only a sadistic Jackson, heavily breathing. He took a moment to compose himself after that whole endeavor occurred, and turned to Ruby, calm and collected.

"Well that happened," Jackson said.

Ruby stood completely still, terrified at the actions Jackson had done while attacking the Ursa, as well as the psychotic look he had while doing it. The blood staining his clothes did nothing to relieve the fear, only bringing back memories of her first encounter with him. To top it all off, she could've sworn she heard the large menacing creature of darkness whimper using its final few breaths. For the first time in her life, she genuinely feared for her safety.

"Sorry that the hunting trip was a complete disaster," Jackson said. "If I had gotten it on the first shot, this wouldn't have happened." He took notice of Ruby's stiff figure, and was now concerned. He took a step towards her. "Hey Ruby, are you alright?"

Ruby had taken a step back as he took one forward. Jackson took another step towards her, and Ruby took another step back.

"Ruby, what's wrong?" Jackson asked. He continued to move towards her until it reached the point where Ruby immediately aimed Crescent Rose at him.

"Stay back," Ruby said. It hurt her to do this to Jackson, but after witnessing this new side of him, she wasn't so sure how safe she felt around him.

Jackson only looked at her with a blank face. He brought out his revolver, which made Ruby tighten the grip on her weapon. But instead of using it, he just dropped it to his side, as well as his bow and quiver. Slowly but surely, he stepped towards Ruby, who was holding her ground. Soon, he stands in front of the rifle barrel, at this point it's basically prodding him.

"Ruby, look into my eyes," he said, "And tell me if I'm lying.

"What you saw was something I hoped didn't come out without giving you guys some background information. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and you witnessed a darker side of me, and I'm still not ready to tell you guys everything. However, Ruby, aside from Weiss, you're the only other person I trust, to an extent. You seem to be the only one out of the group to accept me so quickly. I can tell Yang isn't so happy about it, and Blake just rubs me the wrong way."

"That was before I saw the Jackson that craved the blood of Grimm!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Yang is almost the same way! Based on what I've heard around the academy, even one strand of her hair is enough to send her ballistic if it's pulled out."

"But it's different," Ruby said. "With Yang it's pure anger and rage, and to get a point across, but you were different. You were angry, yes, but there was something more to it. You were enjoying it, pummeling that Grimm to death. You had a smile, you were laughing, you looked like you were loving every second of its misery. That's excessive, even with Grimm."

Jackson tried to look for a rebuttal, but couldn't. Instead, he sighed and sat down on the grass. "A lot has happened in my life Ruby, in such a short period of time," Jackson said. "I've seen things and done things no person my age, or any age, should do. I'm not innocent, or pure, that luxury was taken from me. I've made a goal that I intend to reach, no matter the cost. It's no surprise that you've seen me act in weird or sadistic ways, you just witnessed one. While it's unfortunate, you can sure as hell bet you'll see more of these… outbursts.

"Look, it may look like I'm psychotic, hell, I'm not even sure if I'm not at this point, but I need you to know that it will never happen towards any of you guys. I won't let myself go insane around you guys, because I might do something I'll regret immensely, and I won't be able to live with myself if that happens. You have my word."

Similar to Yang, Ruby looked for anything that would indicate he was lying, but all that Ruby found was warmth and sincerity in his eyes. Her arms trembled, and eventually collapsed, as well as the rest of her soon after.

"*sigh* Please try to get better control of it," Ruby said. "Some people aren't as much of a pushover as me."

"Hehe, if your sister's anything to go by, I'll be taking those words to heart."

Both chuckled at what Jackson said. They laid there for a while, letting the tension and fear/rage melt away. After a while, Jackson got back on his feet and collected his things, offering a hand to Ruby, to which she gratefully accepted. They began to walk back to Beacon when a thought occurred to Jackson.

"Hey, Ruby?" Jackson asked, getting her attention. "I was wondering, after I complete the initiation, I'm going to be assigned to your team, right?" Ruby nodded her head in response.

"JNPR too," Ruby added.

"Well, I'm supposed to be support, meaning I only come in if you guys feel like you really need me. You all seem like you can handle your own pretty well, so it would have to be pretty sketchy if you want me to tag along.

"If it comes down to it, I need to be at my highest capacity, and as much as I hate to say it, the revolver doesn't help me with that. It was meant for only one, but now that I have a team, no, scratch that, TWO teams to help, I feel like it won't work out well. How much do you know about DMRs?"

Ruby merely smiled. "Let's see…"

…

 _Beacon Dorms_

 _8:45 pm_

Jackson and Ruby were in the hallway, talking about Jackson's best choice for a DMR.

"Okay," Ruby said. "Based on what you've told me, your best option is gonna have to be the Armalite AR-10 Supersass. I can call Vic to order the rifle itself, but optics and any other attachments you want to add on are gonna have to be separate orders, which I'll leave up to you. It'll take a while before it comes in."

"Alright," Jackson said. "I'll look into what they got and figure out what I want."

Both continued to talk as they made their way to Ruby's dorm room. Once she opened the door, the rest of team RWBY brought their heads up from whatever they were doing, and Yang ran over to Ruby and gave her one of her well known bear hugs.

"Finally you're back!" Yang exclaimed.

"Can't… breathe…vision… blurring," Ruby wheezed.

"Oops," Yang said, letting go of Ruby. "Where were you, you've been gone for hours!"

"Well," Ruby said, "The hunting trip went a little awry, we were attacked by Grimm."

"WHAT?!"

"Relax! I didn't get hurt, Jackson got the worst of it."

Yang simmered down, especially after hearing Jackson had his ass handed to him. "But there was no way you guys were out there for four hours straight. Where did you guys go?"

Jackson answered her question. "Once we got back from the forest, Ruby and I went to the library to look at some different DMRs online."

Yang looked confused and sort of disturbed. "You spend time looking at rapper wannabes?"

"Okay, one, you're thinking about DMX, and two, I was talking about a DMR, a Designated Marksman Rifle."

"Which is?" Yang asked. Jackson gave her a deadpan look.

"A Designated Marksman Rifle is a hybrid of sorts weapon wise and soldier wise, the combination being assault rifle and sniper rifle, as well as a regular infantrymen and a sniper. It allows for versatility for either pulling back and providing covering fire or charging with the front lines, allowing for quick and precise shots in the hands of an experienced shooter." Surprisingly, the answer came from Blake.

"Thank you Blake!" Jackson exclaimed. "At least we're not the only one who focuses on just their own weapon Ruby. But yes, what Blake said is an exact explanation of what it is. Since I'm going to serve as Support/Combat Medic for you guys, I figured I'd have to get a better weapon, because as much damage as my revolver deals out, it's capacity really limits me, plus I never thought I'd be a part of a team. I'll still have it with me for close quarters, but I need something that can cover long distances, as well as a good ammo capacity.

"Ruby was kind enough to help me figure out which one would fit me best. I might've said it before, but she really is leadership material. I can see why she got in at such a young age." Ruby blushed yet again at his praise

"Well, I'll leave you gals to it, I need to start looking into some attachments for my incoming DMR. Goodnight."

RWBY nodded their heads and Weiss and Ruby responded with a goodnight as well. Jackson exited their room and entered his own, eager to see what kind of attachments he can acquire.

But before he could begin, his scroll buzzed, indicating he received a message. After pulling it out, he found out it came from Ozpin:

 _Mr. Wesson,_

 _After a thorough discussion with Glynda and the other professors, we've determined we will hold your initiation tomorrow. Mr. Port complimented you quite a bit after witnessing you in action during his class._

 _Rest up, you most certainly will need it,_

 _-Ozpin_

' _...Well then.'_

…

 _"Holy verses in his kiss_

 _He was your Bible,_

 _You found nature in his lips_

 _The sex was tribal,_

 _He brought purpose to your hips_

 _Your soul's revival,_

 _Such a hopeful Eve_

 _But Adam let you down,"_

Ruby lay in her bed wearing headphones, enchanted by the lyrics, as well as the music itself, feeling her mind being whisked away somewhere far and peaceful.

…

AN: **Finally! I'm SO sorry this took forever to get out to you guys, hopefully this long chapter makes up for it, but not likely. If the story seems slow, I do apologize, but I'm doing some plot and character development, at least I hope I am. Follow, Favorite, and Review, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**


	7. Initiation Day

AN: **Hey guys, welcome back to another installment of Dead Man Walking! Shout out to dbztenkaiichi and Liloni for favoriting/following the story, let's begin!**

…

 _6:30 am_

 _Jackson's Dorm_

Jackson awoke bright and early for the day he had ahead of him. According to Ozpin, today is when he will perform his initiation, something every first year student must perform to prove that they belong here.

He didn't know much about the initiation, only that it would be starting off with himself being flung into the thick of it. Because of that, Jackson hoped to find some sort of recreational building to warm himself up for the upcoming journey.

After wandering for what seemed like forever, he finally found the rec center. It included an indoor swimming pool, a gym, a basketball court, climbing wall, an arena for sparring matches, and a gun range as well for rifles, pistols and shotguns. Before heading over to the gun range, Jackson wanted to hit the gym to warm up his body and loosen up. Nobody would be here this early, especially on a school day. Or so he thought.

"Hey there, cowboy."

Jackson turned around to the sound of the voice, only to find Yang occupying the entrance to the weight room in a tank top and short shorts. With so much skin showing and Yang's very visible bust, any other guy would've had to have been taken to the infirmary by now due to blood loss. However, Jackson and Yang didn't exactly enjoy each other's company, so Jackson wasn't affected.

"Yang?" Jackson asked. "What are you doing here this early?"

"What do you think, same as you," she said. "Getting up this early is the only way I can have the weight room to myself without having every guy ogling and hitting on me every five seconds. But it looks like I'm gonna have an audience to my performance." The last sentence was dripping with a seductive tease, but did nothing to Jackson.

"I don't think so BB," Jackson responded. "I was here first. If anything, _you_ are _my_ audience." Before Yang could speak, he turned and made his way to the closest bench press. Putting on a few plates, he began his repetitions.

It took a moment for Yang to process what just happened, because literally every other guy before this would have been putty in her hands by now, even Cardin if she wanted to. She quickly snapped out of it and smirked, figuring out how she can turn this around on him.

"BB?" She asked. "You barely know me and now you're giving me nicknames?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Jackson deadpanned. "You don't even know what it stands for."

"I can think of a few things. Bodacious Blonde, Beautiful Brawler, Bombastic Bombshell-"

"Or the Busty Bitch, Blonde Bimbo, Babbling Brute, etcetera etcetera. Now if you'll excuse me, I want to continue with my warm-up without interruption, so unless a wyvern or something is attacking Beacon, I kindly ask you to fuck off and leave me in peace." Yang was at a loss for words for what Jackson had just said.

But she did have some actions to make up for it.

Fuming, she stomped over to where Jackson was, and pushed down on the bar he was using, essentially pinning him to the bench.

"You've got some real _fucking_ nerve talking shit to my face the way you did."

Jackson was still able to speak, but there was some strain to his voice when he spoke. "I didn't talk shit," Jackson grunted. "I was only implying the shit that could have been said. There's a difference."

Yang pushed harder on the bar, making Jackson's breathing more difficult, until eventually all of her body weight was on the bar itself.

' _Alright, this is getting silly,'_ Jackson thought. Using all the strength he could muster with his shortage of breath (and an eensy weensy _teensy_ amount of Aura), he lifted the bar off of him with Yang still on it. Yang obviously wasn't expecting this, as her eyes became wide and tried to hop off the bar without falling on her face. She managed to land on her feet, only just barely. Jackson propped himself up on his arms, catching his breath, while Yang looked at him skeptically.

"How'd you manage to do that?" Yang asked somewhat suspiciously.

' _Just play it cool Jackson, play it cool,'_ Jackson thought. "Yang, I said it was a warm-up, not a workout. Although, your body weight definitely changed it to that." _'Nailed it.'_

Yang got even more furious, thinking Jackson called her fat the way he worded it. She started swinging at him, Jackson barely dodging the first throw.

"Woah woah woah!" Jackson exclaimed. "Chill out! You don't want to put me out of commission on initiation day, do you?"

At the mention of initiation, Yang froze. "Initiation?" She asked. "What are you talking about?"

"My initiation is today, Ozpin messaged me last night," Jackson responded. " And last I checked, you were on thin ice with Ms. Goodwitch from your outburst earlier, and putting me in the infirmary on initiation day won't really help you out."

Yang wanted to beat him to death with his own skull, but she knew he had a point, no matter how much she hated to admit it.

"Now can I please get back to my warm-up without, interruption this time?" Jackson asked. Yang begrudgingly nodded, and went to do her own workout routine.

…

 _Two Hours Later_

After his warm-up, and a hearty breakfast, Jackson made his way over to the cliffs, as per Ozpin's instructions. But rather than meet Ozpin there, he instead came into contact with Ms. Goodwitch instead, a tablet in hand.

"Ms. Goodwitch?" Jackson questioned. "Where's Professor Ozpin?"

"Professor Ozpin is currently gathering up all first year students to have them witness you in combat against the Grimm during your initiation," Glynda curtly responded.

"Oh, okay… Wait what?"

…

 _8:00 am_

 _Beacon Auditorium_

RWBY and JNPR had received a message on their scrolls from Ozpin, telling them to come down to the auditorium where Ozpin had given them his truly inspirational speech their first day here. And apparently they weren't the only ones.

Every first year student was already at the auditorium before RWBY arrived, JNPR included. RWBY went over to them to see if they could figure out why everyone's here.

"Hey Jaune!" Ruby called out. "Over here!"

Jaune, as well as the rest of Team JNPR turned their heads towards the voice and were pleased to see that it came from Ruby, and moved towards her and her team.

"Hi guys," Jaune said. "Do you have any idea what's going on? We were getting ready for classes when our scrolls went off saying classes were cancelled today and to meet in the auditorium."

"We wanted to ask you the same thing," Ruby said. The leaders had gone back and forth trying to figure out what it could've been, and it wasn't until Ozpin walked on stage did something click in Yang's head.

"Ugh, I think I know what this is about," Yang muttered.

"Ahem." All the students had stopped their conversations and looked to the stage to find the headmaster standing in front of a microphone.

"You're all probably wondering why I've gathered you all here today," Ozpin said. "Allow me to put your minds to rest.

"As some of you may already know, we have a new student among our first year students as of last week. For those of you that are unaware of this, Team RWBY found a critically injured civilian while on their extermination mission in the Emerald Forest. He was extracted via Bullhead and kept in the infirmary to tend to his wounds. I'm sure most of you have heard of the mystery man during his weeklong recovery. Well, this man happens to be of age to attend Beacon alongside first year students, and has some rather impressive skills, according to Professor Port. Not only that, but according to the doctor treating his wounds, he recovered from injuries that should have kept him bedridden for months, in merely a week. Because of his late entry, he will be performing the initiation all of you had gone through. Glynda, can you please show them their new classmate?"

…

"But I was assigned to only Teams RWBY and JNPR!" Jackson argued. "Why would Ozpin go and round up the other 100 students?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Glynda responded as she held up the tablet in front him.

Before Jackson speak, the screen lit up, and before him he was able to see Professor Ozpin, as well as every first year student.

"Hello Jackson," Ozpin greeted him with.

"Um, hi," Jackson responded, somewhat uncertain. "Is there a reason as to why you brought the whole first year, rather than just RWBY and JNPR?"

"Well," Ozpin began, "The students have been doing quite well in their classes, or have made significant improvement since their time here." Jaune shifted uncomfortably from left to right towards the latter of what Ozpin said.

"I figured it would be fitting to give them a reward for all their hard work, and what better way than to extend their weekend a day, as well as a show?" Ozpin silently chuckled to himself, seeing how uncomfortable Jackson was right now.

"What, was Yang's cafeteria tantrum not enough for them?" Jackson questioned.

All the first year students erupted in laughter, save for RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL. CRDL just remained uncomfortably silent, while JNPR and RWB tried to, but kept having small giggles escape them. Yang only became enraged, hair beginning to come alight and eyes turning red. RWB took notice and quickly went to calm her down.

"That was quite the opposite of good behavior, and one student's life was endangered," Ozpin responded.

"My own life will soon be endangered a-plenty, what's the difference?"

"The difference is that _you_ are now on the receiving end of it," Ozpin responded.

"You must retrieve an ancient artifact from an abandoned temple located somewhere within the Emerald Forest, and bring it back to Ms. Goodwitch for proof of retrieval," Ozpin stated. "We will monitor your progress as you make your way through the woods. But be warned, Glynda shall not intervene should you find yourself in any sort of situation, so do not hesitate to kill anything in your path, or you _will_ die."

' _Just another day at the office,'_ Jackson thought.

"Please step onto one of the pads," Glynda asked. To her side lay a row of metal pads implanted into the ground. Picking a random one out of the long line, Jackson placed himself on top of it, Glynda tapping the screen on her tablet. Gears began to move and a machine began to whir beneath Jackson's feet. Soon, he realized exactly just what he was standing on.

' _The launch pad!'_

Quickly, he spread his legs apart and kept his center of mass close to the ground, so he doesn't end up flailing through the air.

"Enjoy your flight," Glynda said with a small smile on her face, right as he was sent sailing through the heavens into the Emerald Forest.

…

The students heard Glynda's last remark before witnessing Jackson get flung into the air, becoming nothing but a speck in the distance through the tablet's viewpoint.

"You think he has something planned out for his landing?" Weiss asked.

"Eh, I'm sure he'll be fine," Ruby responded casually.

…

' _FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK'_

Jackson had no clue how he was going to pull this off. All he had was a knife and the desperation to try anything, no matter how flawed or stupid it was. Letting instinct take over, Jackson tried to guide himself to the thickest and closest tree without ending up like a bug on a windshield. As soon as he felt close enough, he gripped the knife with both hands, and stuck it out to his side, jamming it into the side of a tree as he passed by it. The sudden lodge had veered his body into a completely different direction, then dislodged itself from the tree. While it worked in slowing down his speed greatly, he was still a rather high distance above the ground, more than he felt comfortable with. He repeated the process multiple times, hooking a tree and swinging himself to his left or right, until he lost the necessary speed to continue, but by then he was close enough that it wouldn't injure or inconvenience him in any way. Falling down from the tree he was on, he tried to get his bearings.

"Hmmm," he said. "I don't remember this part of the forest, then again, I've never wandered from my tree house more than necessary, the only exception being an exploration trip. I still must be close enough to the school for them to keep an eye on me. Otherwise, I definitely would've noticed a camera before this, and someone would've come searching for me earlier, instead of finding me by pure chance on my deathbed.

"Now Ozpin mentioned something about an abandoned temple, where could that be?" Jackson thought aloud. "Oh! I remember seeing a few scattered stone bricks during one of my trips. If I can find that, then maybe it'll lead me to the temple." Pointing himself north from Beacon, he began to jog at a brisk pace, hoping to come across something that would indicate he was heading in the right direction.

…

After witnessing Jackson pull off a somewhat rough landing, Ozpin smiled to himself at his quick thinking. He also saw him pause for a moment, before pointing himself north and head off.

' _Off to a good start,'_ Ozpin thought.

"Uh, Mr. Ozpin?"

He turned around to face the students, and saw Ruby with her hand up.

"Yes, Ms. Rose?" Ozpin asked.

"Why can't we hear anything?" Ruby responded. "I saw Jackson's mouth move, but I didn't hear anything through the feedback."

"Well Ruby," Ozpin started, "Beacon's security system runs many cameras at once, on and around the campus. To have the audio come back from every camera would simply cause more problems than it would solve. It's better to mute them all and attach motion sensors to indicate which one requires our attention. The feedback from the different cameras will be mute as we monitor Jackson's progress, unfortunately."

Ruby seemed to be satisfied with his answer, and pressed no further.

Ozpin then looked at the crowd. "Would anyone care for some snacks while they watch?" Every student had raised their hands at the question. Ozpin chuckled and pulled out his scroll, tapping an image on it and waiting, until they picked up.

"Hello Mr. Oobleck, would you care to assist me in something?"

…

Jackson's trek through the wilderness has now gone on for a good half hour now, unable to find any indication of a temple, or any human activity in this area whatsoever, aside from the occasional red blip of a camera, of course. This didn't do anything in boosting his confidence on finding the temple, he hadn't even heard a single Grimm during his time out here. Before he could groan and whine of his boredom, he walked into something he wished he could unsee.

Laying right before his very eyes, there was a badly decomposed body, practically a skeleton, in torn clothing, parts of it stained with blood and portions of its body now nothing but bone, covered in scratch and bite marks. Obviously this person was killed during initiation or a mission of some sort, otherwise their body wouldn't be here. Death was nothing new to Jackson, but for a person to die at such a young age really did a number on him. This person had his whole life ahead of him, only to have it ripped away from him in the blink of an eye. He heard what Ozpin said about dying out here, but he never thought it would actually happen. But here it is, all the evidence he needed to see to prove him wrong. The corpse was wearing a white button-up shirt, a black vest over it, and a tie as well. He wore black dress pants and a rather fancy pair of shoes to go along with the attire. This man certainly had an eye for fashion. At his sides were a top hat, a broken watch, and his weapon. At first glance it was nothing more than an axe, but what made it unique was the handle was made of metal with a rubber grip, and it had multiple little slits in the metal. He could've left it at that, but as the saying goes among Hunters and Huntresses:

" _It's also a gun."_

After searching around the axe for a button or small switch, he finally found it at the top of the axe. Once he pushed the button, the weapon began to change in his hands.

The actual blade portion of the axe had dulled itself out, and the top of it bent slightly inward. The metal handle began to expand itself in width and rounded itself out to a certain point, and got smaller, reached a certain point, and compressed itself even smaller. Once done, Jackson could see that the bottom-half portion of the handle turned itself into a barrel. On the upper-half of the handle, the slits he found earlier had slid out of place, facing the side of the blade. What occupied that space soon after was a magazine, collapsible apparently. Jackson could already envision the weapon before it fully transformed. It was a rifle, that much was certain, but whether it was automatic, burst fire or semi-auto had yet to be determined. Jackson could now more or less get a feel for it, finding out the head served as a stock for the weapon. Another metal slit had slid out of view, and out came the grip/trigger for the rifle. Gripping it, it became more comfortable now, a small handle popping out the side, right where the ejection port should be. All that remained was a sight.

As if the rifle knew, one last slit opened up for a holographic sight to pop out. Finally, the weapon had made its full transformation.

The weapon was rusted and worn in almost every part of it, firearm and melee form, but still seemed fully functional. The holographic sight was cracked and didn't function the way it should, most likely dropped during battle on its sight rather than its side. It was a little on the hefty side considering how many components had popped out of it, but it felt… right. The metal used for the magazine must've been very thin, but very strong and durable as well to collapse and fit the way it did. Checking the magazine, it still contained some ammo, but it was also slightly rusted from the exposure to the elements. While it could still fully function, it would probably do more harm than good if he were to use it right now in combat.

Setting the rifle aside, he turned back to the skeleton, in the hopes he would find something to identify this person. Taking a closer look at him, he found a piece of paper sticking out of his vest he hadn't noticed before. Taking it out, he saw that the paper was also in poor-ish condition, the paper turning a sickly shade of yellow, and the edges being eaten away, and the ink faded as well. However, he was still able to make out what it said with relative ease:

 _To whom it may concern,_

 _I am, rather, I was Aleksandr Khvostov. I came from Vacuo to attend Beacon Academy. If you are reading this, then the worst has happened and you have found my corpse in the Emerald Forest. I was overwhelmed by Grimm after landing in the forest for the initiation and fought with every fiber of my being. I succeeded in defeating the Grimm, but I fear I may soon be among them, as I am now badly wounded with no one to help me, attacked before given the opportunity to come into contact with another human being. I've made a desperate attempt in retracing my steps in the hopes that I would stumble across someone, or return to the cliff we were launched from. But now, I've succumbed to my wounds, and now lay in a puddle of my own blood, barely mustering the strength to write this letter. Whoever finds this, please relay this message to my family:_

 _Mother, Father, you have made my life the best it could possibly be, encouraging me every step of the way, no matter what I chose and how many times I changed paths. I never could decide on just one, even on the most trivial of things like ice cream. Although we lived on a ranch rather than the big city for a majority of our lives, I have gotten so much more out of it than I ever could have hoped for. The friends I've made, the memories I've received, you two had a great part in it. Thank you, for everything you two have done for me. I love you guys, and I will be waiting for you._

 _And for my significant other:_

 _Hello Grace. It's been awhile since I've sent a letter, hasn't it? Well, there's a reason for that, although you won't like it. Sadly, I've passed, it appears my skills in combat were not adequate enough to save me, although I did appreciate your words of encouragement before my departure. However, this is not the end, far from it, actually. For you see, while I may be gone physically, I will always be with you, whether you know it or not. I will watch over you and make sure no ill fortune falls upon you. Dead or alive, my love for you is immortal, forever standing against the test of time. I look forward to the day we meet again, but until then, stay strong for the both of us. Eternally yours, Khvostov._

 _And now, this is where my story comes to an end. It's been an amazing ride, but even the sun sets in paradise. While I may not have been strong enough, I pray that the others ahead of me will prove to be brighter than the darkness could ever hope to vanquish._

 _Yours truly, for the final time,_

 _Khvostov_

Jackson continued to read the letter over and over, each time more difficult than the last, until he looked away from the paper unable to handle it anymore, lest he burst into tears. As he turned away, Jackson spotted one last thing on Khvostov's person. Close to where the letter was, there was another piece of paper sticking out, but only a corner. Once he pulled it out, he realized it wasn't just another letter, but a photo instead.

This was in slightly better condition, since it had the letter covering up the face of the photo, protecting it from the elements. There were four people in the photo, one of them being Khvostov in the same attire his corpse had on now. To his right were his parents, he assumed. The father was a tall, burly man with tan skin, jet black hair and a beard. He wore clothing covered in sweat and grime, but he had a smile that shined bright, in contrast to the rest of his body. His smile was a proud one, proud of his son for making it into Beacon. While Khvostov's mother bore the same proud smile as his father, she was the exact opposite in appearance. She was a dainty, little damsel in a yellow sun dress, Khvostov having outgrown her. She had somewhat pale skin and golden hair flowing down her back. She had not a single speck of dirt on her, perfect as can be.

To his left was another girl, but visibly younger than the parents. This must have been the Grace girl Khvostov had written of in his letter. She was almost as tall as Khvostov, but fell a few inches short. She was also pale, but had a pink tint to her skin. Her attire left no room to the imagination, skin tight jeans and a yellow crop top. She was an angel in disguise, one of the most beautiful women Jackson had ever seen. Blonde hair, eyes as blue as a sparkling lake, and a smile that would melt any man's heart. She had her head resting on Khvostov's shoulder, their fingers intertwined in each other. In the top right of the photo it read:

 _Go get em Alex! We love you!_

 _-Mom, Dad, & Grace_

Jackson couldn't stand it anymore. In a fit of emotion and rage, Jackson screamed out to the heavens. "IT'S NOT FAIR!" He shrieked. "IT'S JUST. NOT. _**FAIR!**_ " He began to hack at the surrounding trees using his knife, his rage serving as fuel for the fire. Trees fell left and right, unable to quench the rage he had in him. However, he soon stopped, breaking down and crying where he now stood.

"It's not fair," he whispered. "He didn't deserve to die this soon, not with all the potential and love he had. It should have been someone else, someone… someone like me."

' _Don't say that!'_

"Khvostov had everything! A family, a lover, and his future planned out. I don't have any of that! It should've been me! I should've been the one to bite the goddamn bullet!"

' _You have RWBY!'_

"He had a family! As well as a lover! My family is gone, and Weiss thought I was dead for _three years_! My appearance in her life, as well as the rest of Team RWBY, has done nothing but open up old wounds and cause bitter rivalries, not only between Yang and I, but quite possibly between her and Ruby! Blake doesn't even _fucking_ talk to me! Just end it now, save them the trouble of having to deal with my shit!"

' _SHUT UP! Look, I know things don't look good to you, so maybe it's time to fix that. Maybe it's time to make amends with Yang, and to start talking to Blake, rather than waiting on her to start it.'_

Jackson's breakdown slowly came to a stop, and realized his conscious was right. Yeah, he may not like Yang's cocky attitude, but it's probably better to talk about it rather than be a dick to her. And with Blake, he's made no real attempt to converse, or even interact with her at all. He's been waiting on her to make the first move, and he didn't even know it. He's gonna make it out of this, and he's gonna set things right. Filled with a newfound determination, he dusted himself off and began to look at his surroundings.

' _But before I do, I need to do one last thing.'_

He didn't spot a camera where he found Khvostov, so he kept walking until he found one, and turned back to the corpse, a plan culminating in his mind.

…

Team RWBY and the other first year students were snacking on some cookies and juices, all thanks to a speedy Oobleck, while witnessing Jackson trek through the wilderness. After a while, Jackson had walked off camera, but didn't appear in any of the others, which confused the students, and slightly concerned Ozpin.

' _It seems we have a blind spot in the cameras,'_ He thought. "Glynda, do you see anything on your tablet in regards to where Jackson is? He seemed to have disappeared from the camera feed."

After spending a few minutes looking through all the cameras in Jackson's immediate vicinity, she came back with nothing."I don't see him either, sir," Glynda responded. "Do you think something might've happened to him during the tra-"

A large tree fell down through the camera's field of view, and while it didn't have any sound, it still startled the students watching. Soon after, they saw Jackson come back into view, slashing at trees in a fit of rage, collapsing to his knees once the rage was spent.

Some students grew concerned of Jackson, others thought he had gone batshit crazy. He stayed like that for a period of time, but soon composed himself and stood up. He began to look around, and soon found the camera, looking straight at it, which slightly unnerved some people. He ran back out of camera shot, and came back with a rifle and a… top hat?

Jackson stuck the barrel of the rifle into the soft earth, and placed the top hat over the stock, running out of view once again. Almost everyone, even Ozpin, were confused as to why and how Jackson got those things, and why he placed it the way he did. However, one little red figure had a bell rung in her head.

Ruby found out what Jackson was doing, this was a tradition among soldiers of the Great War. Any time a fellow soldier fell in battle, the members of his platoon would recover his fallen corpse, as well as his helmet and issued weapon, and create a makeshift grave using the weapon and helmet, placing it where they fell. But if that's what Jackson is doing, then that means…

Ruby didn't even need to finish her train of thought, as Jackson came back into view, proving her suspicions. With him, he carried a body over his shoulder, and it wasn't until he set it down did they fully grasp the harsh reality of it.

Once Jackson moved out of view, everyone in the auditorium, Glynda as well, as able to get a clear view of the terribly decomposed body that was Aleksandr Khvostov. Jackson proceeded to place his body in a position as if he was laying in a coffin, hands placed on his chest grasping the letter and photo, right in front of his makeshift tombstone. Once he felt sure the camera would get a clear view of it, Jackson began to write in the dirt next to his body. Once finished, he kneeled over the corpse for a moment, then stood back up and returned to finding the temple.

 _Aleksandr Khvostov_

 _Former Vacuo resident,_

 _A woman's significant other,_

 _And the son of loving parents._

The students were horrified, as well as Glynda, while Ozpin was deeply troubled.

"Glynda, I want a Bullhead to head over to that exact position and retrieve the body and its belongings. Now." Ozpin gripped his mug tighter and tighter as he gave out the order.

"Y-Yes, sir," Glynda responded.

"Professor Ozpin?" It was Pyrrha who called out the Headmaster.

"Yes, Miss Nikos?" Ozpin asked, somewhat regretfully.

"Who is that on the camera?" Pyrrha asked, her voice shaky.

Ozpin sighed, knowing he couldn't avoid telling them what they clearly see on the camera. "That, my dear, was Aleksandr Khvostov. He was a student from Vacuo that moved to Vale in order to attend Beacon Academy. He… He was a first-year student as well. In fact, he was supposed to be among you kids, training to become a Hunter. However, things didn't seem to go as planned.

"Khvostov began his initiation alongside you all, but seemed to have lost his way as he landed, going in the opposite direction of his destination. Our priority was on him, as he was straying away from the main body of initiates, and further endangering himself. It wasn't long before he stumbled upon a pack of beowolves, and a battle ensued. He fought valiantly, but we feared he would soon be overwhelmed. However, before we could witness the end of the battle, we received alerts on our scrolls of a battle going on in another location, and what we found was a much more concerning matter, at least, during that time. Teams RWBY and JNPR had found themselves in between a rock and a hard place, battling a Nevermore and a Deathstalker. Thankfully, both teams succeeded in defeating the Grimm, and came out of it only exhausted and with minor injuries.

"It wasn't until after the teams returned with the artifacts die we remember of Khvostov. Going back to the previous camera we saw him in, he was no longer there, and there was no trace of where he went. We hoped that he would make his way back to the cliffs for an extraction. It's not unheard for a student to opt out in the middle of the initiation, it happens every so often. However, we found no one at the base of the cliff, and Khvostov did not appear in any of the camera feeds. Without any accurate information, we weren't able to locate him. We feared the worst, and hoped for the best. Now, we know what has come of him."

The first-years wanted to look away, but they couldn't find the power to do so, and they were stuck staring at the rotting corpse and listening to Ozpin's story.

"Now is not the time or place for this, but what Jackson has found brings back up a point I CANNOT possibly stress enough," Ozpin said. "What you students have decided to pursue is a dangerous career path, it's something that seems to allude your mind until it becomes a very serious situation. We try our best to make this place as safe and secure for you kids to learn and grow as people, but we simply cannot prepare for every scenario, for there are scenarios even we can't begin to fathom. It's also why you are all put into a team, we expect you to look out and take care of each other when we aren't around to do so. You all play a much bigger role than you expect. Keep that in mind during your time here at the academy."

The students were speechless, some even left the auditorium, on the verge of a breakdown or whilst they were exiting. Regardless of what they all thought, one thing was for sure, it served as a fresh reminder of what exactly they got themselves into, and it shouldn't be taken lightly. Soon, they all regained their senses and resumed watching Jackson look for the artifact, a bit more serious than last time.

…

Jackson continued to trek through the forest, his hopes of finding the temple dwindling by the second. As he continued to walk, still thinking about what he saw, he hadn't noticed himself walk into a clearing. He soon snapped out of his trance, and saw a unique scene.

Out in the middle of the field were enormous black feathers stabbed into the ground, some already dislodged and fallen over. They covered the length of a football field, and was some 20 feet wide. Also, there was a large gap in the clearing, dead trees scattering the open space. Some were pushed over, others were utterly shattered, multiple wooden splints covering the floor. Jackson knows the feathers were from a Nevermore, but the open gap could have been anything. A pack of Beowolves, a stampede of Ursai, even a Deathstalker. He's seen a Deathstalker only once during his time out here in the forest, and even he knew it was suicide to take that thing on. Before he could put any more thought into it, his scroll had gone off, indicating he received a message. Pulling it out, he saw that the number was blocked.

 _Jack,_

 _I've sorted that stuff out, meet me at our usual spot at 8:30 pm._

 _Don't be late._

 _-Informant_

' _I'll have to tell him what I found out in Oobleck's class, but I'm gonna need the audio recording he used as well,'_ Jackson thought. After placing the scroll back in his pocket, he spotted something off in the distance. It definitely wasn't natural, so it sparked a fire in Jackson, hoping it was the temple. He broke into a sprint towards that direction, and was excited/relieved to see that it was indeed the abandoned temple.

The abandoned temple was in poor condition, partially collapsed and stone blocks scattered on the floor. It seems like this place has been unused for years, as there was moss covering almost every inch of this place. In the center, there were multiple pedestals, but only one contained an artifact. The artifact in question resembled a chess piece, a Rook to be exact, and it was white in color. However, there was something different about it. Right in the center of the piece, there was a red cross, sticking out immensely. Right as he reached out to grab it, he heard a low growl from behind him. Turning around, his heart dropped a little.

Standing in front of him were eight Beowolves total, spreading out and closing off any avenues of escape. It seems the breakdown he had upon finding Khvostov brought them to him. Very slowly, Jackson reached for his weapon, hoping to not provoke them too early. This didn't go unnoticed though, as they tensed up, ready to strike.

In the blink of an eye, Jackson whipped out his revolver, and was able to fire off three shots, downing three Beowolves, before they charged and got too close to effectively use his gun. The first to reach his position attempted to swipe at him, but he ducked out of the way, following it up with a swift pistol whip upwards towards, causing the Beowolf to snap its head back and let out a yelp as it staggered back. This gave Jackson enough space to fire off another shot, before being forced to engage another beowolf. This one repeated the same attack as the last one, however this one had quicker reflexes than the other, swinging its head to the side before the revolver could make contact with its jaw. Jackson didn't expect this, so the momentum of the swing, as well as a space where the Beowolf's head used to be, brought his body upwards, giving an opening for the Grimm to claw at his exposed midsection. Thankfully, the Kevlar hoodie was able to take the brunt of it, but the attack still sent him stumbling backwards.

Acting on instinct now, he transformed his weapon to its melee counterpart, trying to block the blows the Beowolf was sending his way. Eventually, he regained his footing, and once doing so, he dodged the next attack, going through an experience similar to Jackson's failed uppercut. Leaning too far forward in the attack, the Beowolf was ready to fall on its face. Using the screw-up against it, Jackson quickly turned around to face the falling Beowolf, and brought the Bowie knife down on its neck, slamming the Grimm down on the stone floor as its body begins to spasm, a puddle of blood forming around its head as it begins to fade.

' _Five down, three to go.'_

Yanking out the blade, he faced the remaining pack. They were now slightly hesitant, but it wasn't enough to discourage them. Jackson knows he can fire one last shot before having to go full-fledged CQC, since he won't have enough time to reload afterwards. Picking his target, his weapon transformed back to a revolver long enough to fire one last bullet before transforming back. He fired true, as the middle Beowolf's head turned into a cloud of red mist, its body collapsing soon after. This provoked the remaining two, and they charged, one last attempt to claim the prize.

Jackson charged as well, and picking one out of the two, tackled it to the ground, and punched the side of its head, leaving it in a daze. He was ready to slice the Grimm's neck open, were it not for the other Beowolf swatting him away like a fly. Both Jackson and the Beowolf got up from their prone position, albeit a bit sluggishly. One Beowolf was now concussed, if only slightly, due to the blow to the temple, so his focus switched to the other one. The Beowolf without the concussion charged at Jackson, while the other lagged behind.

Instead of backing away trying to dodge the attack, at the last moment, Jackson moved towards it, getting into its personal space which caused the swipe to wrap around him instead, acting like a one-handed hug while Jackson ran him through with his knife. The Beowolf collapsed in Jackson's arms, only to be discarded once he pulled out his knife.

' _Now that only leaves o-'_

Jackson couldn't even finish his thought as he was tackled to the ground by the remaining Beowolf. He barely had any time to raise up his knife against the Beowolf, but miraculously managed to do so, barring the Grimm with his knife. The lone wolf did not stop in his attempt to tear Jackson apart. The Grimm's mouth inched ever closer to Jackson's face, trying to take a chomp out of it. If he didn't act soon, he was about to become lunch.

Suddenly, he had an idea. Pumping Aura into his hands, he activated his dust infused gloves, and pressed the knife towards the Beowolf's chest. All he needed was one small contact point to happen before he poured the electricity into the knife, and that's exactly what he got

As soon as the knife touched enough of the Beowolf's chest, Jackson unleashed his Aura, sending a huge electrical current into the knife, and then to the Beowolf almost immediately after. He could hear a loud shriek of pain as a plume of smoke appeared before him. It smelled of burnt hair and burnt flesh as well, and it wasn't until the smoke cleared up did he see what had happened.

Sitting upright, he found the Beowolf 15 feet away from where he currently was, smoke emitting from his body, but whether it was from the current, its body already beginning to dissolve, or both, he had no idea. Picking himself up, he walked over to where the chess piece was, and picked it up, placing it… somewhere. Wherever main characters place large bulky items without making it visible.

However, it was still not over, for a pair of beady, red eyes glowed in the darkness, and they were about to make themselves known.

…

The students watched Jackson's arrival to the temple. They had a clear view of the whole temple, from the artifact, to the pack of Beowolves sneaking up on Jackson. He soon turned around to face them, and while initially caught off guard, recovered and fought quite valiantly, his wit and raw instinct winning him the battle, with the plume of smoke and a flying Beowolf adding some pizzazz towards the end.

"Yeah, go Jackson!" Ruby cheered. Yang rolled her eyes, Blake seemed indifferent, and Weiss smiled while mumbling a few soft words of encouragement to him. More whoops and hollers could be heard coming from the crowd, a few of them coming from JNPR.

Jackson walked over to the pedestal and retrieved his artifact, and was about to head back to the cliffs, but something occurred off-screen, because Jackson turned his attention towards it and began to walk in that direction. Everyone was more curious than concerned to what he saw off-screen. While he was off-screen, Weiss received a message on her scroll, and after looking at it, tucked it away and looked back into the screen, curious as to what he saw, and if they had any chance of seeing it too. Two or three minutes later, Jackson flew back into view, quite literally, sliding on his back for a good ten feet. And what also came into view after that shocked everyone.

From the left side of the camera came an Alpha Beowolf on all-fours, then stood to its full height to release a howl, and while the camera didn't provide sound, everyone could've sworn they heard something off in the distance. Jackson looked terrified, and was ready to bolt, if it wasn't for the Alpha blocking off the path heading back to the cliffs. If Jackson wanted to get back to Glynda with his artifact without finding another way around, he'd have to go through the Alpha.

Pulling out his revolver, he fired off all five shots, but the Alpha didn't even so much as flinch at the gunshots. When that didn't work, he attempted to slash it into oblivion with his knife, but that also did virtually nothing to the large beast. Jackson's attack got slower and slower, until it reached the point where his arm wielding the knife just hung at his side, and he did nothing but look up at the creature of Darkness. Taking that as its cue, the Alpha simply swiped at him, but it resulted in Jackson being sent flying again, and sliding for another ten feet. Jackson realized this was a fight he wouldn't be able to finish, so he desperately tried to escape, but the Alpha kept him near the temple by grabbing his clothing with his mouth and flinging him back, playing with its food. This continued for what seemed like an eternity, until Jackson had resorted to crawling away from it. Eventually, the Alpha had enough fun, and began to move in for the kill, but still let Jackson desperately crawl away from the inevitable.

The students were once again glued to the screen, unable to look away from what was about to happen, RWBY included. Jaune was able to speak out to the headmaster about what was happening.

"Do something Professor!" Jaune shouted. "We can't just watch him get torn apart!"

"As much as I want to," Ozpin said, "Any effort to save him would be a fruitless venture. At the rate this is going, a Bullhead wouldn't be able to reach their position in time to save Jackson." As Ozpin finished his statement, the Alpha jumped onto Jackson.

The students gasped as this happened. The Alpha's back was turned to the camera, so they weren't able to witness the Grimm tear into Jackson, only seeing it thrash his body around as it shook its head from side to side.

The Alpha suddenly stopped, and turned around. As it did so, it had Jackson in its mouth. It locked eyes with the camera, the red blip giving away its location, and began to walk towards it. Once it got close enough, it stood on its hind legs, and was now level with the camera, its upper body, as well as Jackson's limp body in its mouth dangling. No blood could be seen on him, but then again, he wore all-black, so seeing blood is basically impossible.

There was an extremely tense silence among the students as they continued to stare at the beast. They just witnessed the murder of a fellow Huntsmen-in-Training, most likely the consumption of his corpse as well, at the hands of a Grimm, in real time.

Or so they thought.

Without notice, Jackson's eyes opened wide and his face contorted into a silent scream, his arms and legs flailing about. And it scared the shit out of them, even Ozpin jumped.

A majority of the students screamed like small children, others vomited, and some even fainted. RWBY was currently shrieking, save for Weiss, who stood as still as stone, dead silent.

Jackson's flailing continued on for a few seconds, before stopping completely and beginning to laugh, and quite hard by the looks of it. He began to wave at the camera with a goofy smile on his face.

Those who didn't faint or run out the auditorium to vomit was dumbfounded. Here they are, currently seeing Jackson in the mouth of a monster that could bite him into two if it bit down on him, and he's acting like he just found out he's on some hidden prank show.

"Is that…?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, that is indeed Beanie, pretending to eat Jackson alive," Weiss responded.

Ruby turned to her. "Did you know about this?"

She cracked a small smile. "Jackson _might've_ notified me of what he was up to before it came up on camera."

"How come he told you and not us?"

"Because he knows if the Beowolf didn't kill him, I sure as hell would have when he gets back from the initiation." Both girls turned back to the camera, only to find that Beanie and Jackson both disappeared. "Where'd they go?" Asked Weiss.

Ozpin was just as dumbfounded as the students. Never in his life as a Headmaster, or even a Huntsmen, did he see anyone tame a Grimm. His scroll went off, and after checking it, found out it was from Jackson.

 _I'll explain everything when I arrive at the outskirts of Beacon. Bring the other students if you want, but tell them to leave their weapons in their lockers or dorms. Trust me._

 _-Jackson_

Ozpin certainly wanted to see this, so he immediately turned off the large screen and turned to address the crowd.

"Attention students," Ozpin said, a bit forcefully. This caught the attention of every kid in the room.

"Jackson will be waiting for us in the outskirts of the academy, along with his… companion, and he asks that you all leave your weapons behind, most likely as to not provoke it."

Almost every student was hesitant in putting their trust in Jackson and leaving their weapons behind, but they all wanted to see this with their own two eyes, so they reluctantly complied, picking up their weapons and heading to their lockers to store them. However, a group of students did not take heed to the Jackson's wishes, and had every intention of taking that thing down. They gathered their weapons, but waited until they were the last students to exit the auditorium, and the last students to make their way towards the outskirts of Beacon, that way no one will see them with their weapons for when they pulverize that monster to oblivion.

…

 _Beacon Outskirts_

 _10 minutes later_

Jackson and Beanie stood in an open field located behind the academy near the cliffs, waiting for the students, and most likely the staff as well, to arrive. Before long, they began to hear footsteps.

"That didn't take long," Jackson said. However, they weren't originating from the direction of the academy, but to his right.

"Jackson!" Glynda shouted.

"Eeep!" Jackson swirled around to face her. "Hi, Ms. Goodwitch! Are you here for the artifact, or to see this beauty right here?" Jackson proceeded to present Beanie like a valuable item on a gameshow, adding jazz hands for effect.

"What the hell were you thinking, pulling a stunt like that?" Glynda scolded him. "And now you brought this, thing to the school?!"

"Hey, this "thing" has feelings too, you know." Jackson placed a hand on his pal, consoling him for the things the mean lady said.

"Now is _not_ the time for jokes, Mr. Wesson," Glynda growled. "We have an Alpha Beowolf on campus, I simply will not-"

"Will not what, Glynda?"

Glynda turned around to see Professor Ozpin, as well as the entire group of first-year students behind him. Ozpin had his focus on her, but the others were gawking at the beast behind her.

"Professor Ozpin!" Glynda said. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," Ozpin said, "Jackson sent me a message in regards to the Alpha we saw in the camera feed, and I just had to see this for myself."

"B-But sir, this is an _Alpha_ Beowolf, they're significantly more dangerous than that of a regular Beowolf!"

"And yet here it is, not even so much as growling at us or advancing in any way." A blur of red passed by Ozpin, leaving behind a trail of petals as it collided with the Beowolf.

"Beanie!" Ruby said. The Beowolf barked happily, it's large tail wagging back and forth to prove it. Once she let go, Beanie did his signature slobber onslaught like last time.

"Not again!" Ruby shouted/groaned. The textbook dog behavior with Ruby had defused the tension among the students, and they started gushing and cooing at the Grimm, while some still had to process what exactly was going on. A majority of the group moved as one towards the Alpha, but Jackson dashed right in front of them with his hands outwards.

"Woah woah woah!" Jackson warned. "Stay where you are! You'll provoke him if you move as one. Just relax, I'll bring him to you." He walked over to where Ruby and Beanie were, and was able to pry them off each other.

"Alright Beanie, ready to meet some new people?" He nodded his head in eagerness and anticipation. "All right, let's go!"

Jackson guided Beanie to the new people, and once there, the Grimm went over the whole crowd standing at full height, trying to pick out any immediate threats. However, he didn't need to analyze anything, because the immediate threat was about to make themselves known.

"Incoming!"

Charging towards the Beowolf from the back of the crowd, Cardin and his lackeys shoved aside fellow students, Jackson included, to get enough space to swing his mace at it's exposed midsection. Beanie could see the group of four rushing at him, and let out a growl, hoping to dissuade them, but it didn't work. As soon as he escaped the pool of bodies, Cardin let loose and aimed for the Grimm's side, and landed spot on. Cardin smirked at how easy it was to slam this thing, and then something dawned on him.

While Cardin may have made contact with the Grimm, it didn't seem the least bit fazed by the attack. If anything, it only pissed it off, the growl emitting from it being louder than before. Fear slowly began to sink in, and it wasn't until Beanie picked him up with his arm did Cardin realize how much he fucked up.

Cardin attempted to swing his mace again, but Beanie caught it in his other hand, ripping it out of his grasp and tossing it aside like a piece of trash. Both stared at each other for a few seconds, allowing Cardin to go over the multiple mistakes he's made in the last minute. Without warning, the Beowolf raised his hand up high, and slammed Cardin into the ground, the earth beneath him forming a crater with cracks spreading out.

The rest of Team CRDL came charging, but Beanie turned around to face them, and they suddenly found their common sense, backing away. Cardin laid in the crater, groaning in pain, and when he tried to get up, he was met with a pistol grip to the nose. He fell back down, now in even more pain, holding his now bleeding nose.

"Stay down asshole!" Jackson screamed in anger. To make sure he complied, he pulled back the hammer on his revolver, aiming it at the center of his forehead.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Glynda shouted. "Mr. Wesson, take your sights off of Cardin this instant, and get that beast of yours under control. NOW!"

Jackson eventually relented, putting away his weapon and calling over his pet. " _*TWEET*_ Let them go Beanie, they're not worth your time." Jackson practically spat the latter part of that sentence. Beanie turned his head toward him, then back to the other three, before also relenting and heading back to where Jackson was. Sky, Russel, and Dove went over to Cardin to help him up out of his crater.

Glynda looked at Jackson, seething with rage. "There will be hell to pay, Mr. Wesson, you've been given the bill."

"What?!" Jackson exclaimed. "Why me?"

"Not only did your "pet" endanger the lives of one of the students, you also took part in assaulting him." Cardin and his team could be seen snickering behind Glynda, fully visible to Jackson.

"Not only do you owe these gentlemen an apology, you are going to serve a month's worth of detention, that is if I don't suspend you for thi-"

"That's enough Glynda!"

Ozpin rarely ever raises his voice more than is needed, but this was a special exception. Glynda visibly flinched and was shocked to hear Ozpin like that.

"I can assure you Jackson is not in the wrong here," Ozpin said.

"B-But sir," Glynda stammered,"His pet attacked a student-"

"Who was specifically informed by me, informed by Jackson, to leave their weapons in their lockers or dorms in order to prevent provoking an attack by the Grimm, although I will admit the assault by Jackson was uncalled for. Therefore, he will spend tomorrow's lunch in detention." Ozpin turned to CRDL. "As for you four, you blatantly ignored my instructions, and by doing that, you have not only endangered yourselves, but the people around you in the process. For that, you will be punished as I deem fit. Now come along, gentlemen, we have quite a bit to discuss, back in my office."

Ozpin walked off towards Beacon, CRDL in tow, the smile on their faces disappearing moments ago. Jackson watched them leave, and turned towards Glynda, absolutely fuming.

Jackson placed an artifact in her hand, for proof of retrieval. "I will serve detention tomorrow during lunch," Jackson said, "But for now, I have a pet to showcase. *spins around* Alright, now that the meatheads are gone, who wants to greet Beanie first?"

Everyone raised their hands, eager to meet the Grimm-gone-good Beowolf, who was equally as excited to meet all the new faces.

…

 _Beacon Halls_

 _One Hour After Beanie's Reveal_

Jackson was relieved that everyone was accepting, even excited of Beanie, save for a few unsavory characters. They all played with him and rode and hugged him, and Beanie was more than happy to return all that love back. Soon, Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck also arrived, and they were more ecstatic to meet Beanie than all the students combined, especially Oobleck. Neither of them could stop observing Beanie and asking questions. How old is he, when did you find him, how did you manage to tame him, etc. etc. Eventually, they had to say goodbye, and none of them wanted to do any such thing, especially Ruby.

Once Beanie went back to the forest, Jackson was given the opportunity to finally meet Team JNPR, which he soon found out was the same group he saw in the Mess Hall earlier on. They conversed for a while, but Jackson had to excuse himself, for he had some business to attend to.

Walking through the halls of Beacon, Jackson searched for Oobleck's room, to obtain the audio file he played in class. He soon found his classroom, and walked in, only to find Oobleck furiously grading papers at a ridiculous speed.

Before he could back out, Oobleck took notice of his presence. "Hello there Mr. Wesson!" Oobleck greeted.

"Um, hi, Oobleck," Jackson responded.

"That's Dr. Oobleck to you young man! Come, come." Jackson hesitantly walked over to where Oobleck sat, still grading his papers at remarkable speeds.

"I must say Jackson, it was an absolute honor to meet your Grimm companion," Oobleck complimented. "Never in the history of Remnant has man ever, let alone try, tamed a Grimm creature. This could change everything! But I digress, I assume you didn't come to me to just converse?"

"To your dismay, no I didn't," Jackson said. "The reason I came here was to ask you for a copy of the audio file you played in History last week."

Oobleck stopped his grading and faced Jackson. "I'm more than willing to give you a copy, but might I ask why?"

Jackson had an answer, but he had trouble forming it into words. "I have… personal ties with that event."

Oobleck remained silent, taking the time to process what Jackson said. Soon, he was able to respond. "I see. I'm sorry for your loss, Jackson. I will send a copy to your scroll. Have a good evening."

"Thank you, Dr. Oobleck, enjoy your evening too," Jackson said. With that, he walked out of the classroom, leaving Oobleck to continue his grading.

' _Now that that's taken care of, it's time to meet my informant.'_

…

 _Junior's Nightclub_

 _8:25 pm_

Jackson entered the club with minimal effort. Ever since that deed he did for this place, he's been treated like family anytime he comes in, they even knew him by name. Heading over to the bar, he took a stool and waited for Junior. He was currently cleaning some glasses, and didn't even acknowledge Jackson's presence. He tapped on the counter to get his attention.

Junior didn't even so much as look at him. "We aren't serving any more drinks, bar's closed."

Jackson let out a small chuckle. "Not even for a pal?"

Junior stopped cleaning and turned to face Jackson, his scowl turning to a surprised smile. "Jackson!" He said, like he just reunited with an old friend. "What brings you here?" Junior was a giant, a whopping 6'11" overall, almost a full head above Jackson. He wears a white dress shirt, black vest above, red tie, black dress pants, and gloves. He seems like it would be almost impossible to take this guy down, although word has spread around, saying it's been done.

"I'm meeting up with a friend of mine," Jackson said. "We have some stuff to talk about, although it doesn't look like he's here yet."

"Well, while you wait, how's about I get you a drink in the meantime?"

"I thought the bar was closed?" Jackson asked.

"I can spare a glass," Junior replied. "What'll it be?"

"Don't bother with a glass, I'll just have a coke," Jackson said.

"With rum?"

"Just the coke, Junior," Jackson chuckled.

"You do know I don't give a shit if you drink alcohol, right?"

"Yes, I'm fully aware of that," Jackson said. "I just don't drink alcoholic beverages, if the last five times I've been here is anything to go by."

Junior sighed as he handed him a can. "Why are you here?"

Jackson took a sip. "I told you, I'm meeting with a fri-"

"I meant why are you here? In all this?" Junior spread his hands, showcasing the drunks and perverts littering his club. "You don't drink, you haven't started a fight, you've politely asked for every beverage, turning down alcohol, you wired half a million Lien to me for repairs when you found out my club was destroyed!"

It was true. He originally had around 1.5 million Lien in his account, but when Jackson found out Junior's club got trashed a few months ago, he felt bad for the guy and wired 500,000 Lien for repairs and replacements for drinks and equipment, it's not like _he_ was ever gonna spend that amount, even with what was left. Before that, Jackson came twice a month for any updates in his search, most of the time gaining little to nothing on knowledge, but Junior tolerated him, which apparently isn't very common. Ever since that deed, Junior's opinion about him changed.

"You've got all the makings of a good kid with a bright future," Junior said. "If you're able to wire 500,000 Lien, then money isn't a problem. So, why here? Why come to a place full of criminals, drunks, cheaters, thieves and liars? You've given me only bits and pieces of the real reason for why you're doing this. You asked for the best info broker I know, aside from me, and I gave you one. So why?"

Jackson paused, trying to figure out what to say. "If I ever finish it, I'll come back, and we'll share a bottle of bourbon and talk about it, how about that?"

Junior smiled. "I'll hold you to that, kid. Now get going, your informant just arrived." Sure enough, when he turned around, his informant just set foot in the club. On that note, he left the bar to go meet him.

Jackson walked over to where he was, his informant taking notice of him well before he reached him. Once he did, they took each others' hand firmly and shook.

"Hey kid, how ya doin?" He asked.

"Come on Gage, not you too," Jackson said whilst smiling. "I've got five inches on you, I'd appreciate it if you used my name."

He smiled in return. "I'd call you kid if I wasn't one myself."

Gage Sim, otherwise known as The Informant, or The Ghost, was an interesting individual. Coming in at 19 years old, 5'10", he's been through a lot despite his youth, similar to Jackson. He wore a sage green Galaxy Jacket, with a detachable hoodie. On his right bicep was a bandana wrapped around it, green as well. He was well built, but the jacket covers most of his physique, as well as one unique feature about him.

Most of the time he wore a pair of gloves any time they met up, but recently he slipped, but by the time he noticed, the cat was out of the bag. His entire left arm was a robotic prosthetic, courtesy of Atlas technology. While it's definitely a hell of an arm, it has one flaw, in which it isn't magnetized, meaning if an electrical current passed through it, it could cause some serious damage.

' _Thank god I shook his right and not his left, I wouldn't have felt very comfortable shaking his prosthetic with my gloves.'_

Any time Jackson would interrogate him though, Gage would never go into specifics, the only thing he'd be willing to say was he lost it protecting someone he loved, and nothing more. He had a weapon very similar to his own as well. Gage holstered a revolver dubbed Javix, which transformed into a Kukri knife. Overall, their weapons of choice were really similar, the main differences being the manufacturer, the style of blade, and most notably, caliber. Gage's was a .44 magnum six-shooter, while Jackson's was a .500 magnum five-shot. Regardless, both were damn well at using them in battle. If you needed info on something, anything, Gage is your man. He's got contacts virtually everywhere, in gangs, corporations, and Hunters he keeps in touch with, although he hasn't specified who.

They both took a seat at the far corner of the club, away from the noise and distractions, their usual spot.

"What have you got for me?" Jackson asked, getting straight down to business.

"Nothing. Just like before," Gage responded. "All those bullet casings you found, as well as gun parts, all go back to the same man, Roman Torchwick, and he's a glorified goon for hire. He'll steal anything you ask him to, so long as the price is right. Almost all the weapons and munitions you see on the streets go through him, or come from him. Besides, it can't be him, he has no reason to go out there and destroy that place. He may be on Vale's Most Wanted List, but he's not stupid enough to quadruple the bounty on his head."

"What about the White Fang?" Jackson asked. "Ever since the change in power five years ago, they've only gotten more violent as time passed."

Gage sighed. "I told you Jackson, I don't take chances anymore. I'm not gonna risk my contacts and agents on something that might not even exist, and end up losing them in the end. Unless you have some solid evidence to back it up, you might as well forget it."

Jackson smiled as he pulled out his scroll. While on his way here via Bullhead, Oobleck had sent him a copy of the audio tape he asked for. Setting it on the table, he looked at Gage, "Listen to this," and hit the play button.

Gage listened to the tape, and clasped his hands together. Seconds turned to minutes as he paid attention to every detail the audio tape had to offer. Once it finished, he took a moment to process it and think about what he'd do.

"...Where did you get this?" Gage asked.

"It originally came from the Vale Police Department," Jackson said, "But I got it from someone else. Either way, you have solid evidence on the White Fang, so come on. You said it yourself, everything else I've given you is nothing but dead ends, this might actually lead to something."

"*sigh* The White Fang are very dangerous to deal with, I've lost people before snooping around inside them, I'm not sure I-"

 _*SLAM*_

Smack dab in the center of the table lay a stack of Lien, amounting up to 10,000. Gage's eyes widened at the amount Jackson put down.

"I've spent years trying to find who was responsible, and shit always changes, putting me back to square one," Jackson said coldly. "Finally, I've brought you something that can allow you to investigate the White Fang for any indication of the attack, and you're backing out? I don't care if you're asking for 10,000 or 100,000, I'm not letting you pussy out of this." Jackson and Gage stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, the tension rising at a rapid pace.

Finally, Gage broke the stare, closing his eyes and taking a breath. He took the cash on the table and stood up. "If anything goes wrong during this, or I lose someone, it'll be coming out of your pocket."

"Whatever it takes to find the bastards responsible, and figure out why," Jackson replied.

Gage nodded, tossing his hood up and turned to leave. But before he did, he had one last thing for Jackson. "Oh, I almost forgot, I have to give you something Jackson."

Jackson stepped around the table to get closer to Gage. "Really?" Jackson asked, more curious than anything, since he hadn't asked Gage to bring anything. "What is it?"

Gage turned to face him, and in one swift motion, punched Jackson in the throat, essentially crushing his windpipe. Jackson fell on his knees holding his neck, trying in vain to get a breath of air. Before he could even stand back up, let alone retaliate, he was slammed into the ground with Gage kneeling over him, his hood over his head.

He whispered into his ear, "If I so much as hear you talk or do shit to the team that saved your goddamned life out in the forest, I will hunt you down, and I'll make that breathless feeling you have right now last forever." Without uttering another word, he stood back up, and began walking towards the exit.

However, before he could set foot outside, Jackson was miraculously able to spit out one last sentence. "H-How do you know about Team RWBY?"

Gage stopped, and responded without even bothering to look at him. "You're not the only one looking for something, Jackson. Besides, I owe an old crow a favor." With that, he stepped out into the night, enveloped in the darkness.

…

 _Beacon Halls_

 _9:55 pm_

Once Jackson was able to breathe normally again, and walk without looking like a drunk, he made his way back to Beacon, going over what Gage said.

' _Not the only one?'_ He thought. _'Does that mean someone in Team RWBY is looking for something too? And who's the old crow… Wait a minute, he didn't mean-'_

"Jackson!"

Jackson's train of thought came to a screeching halt when he heard his name called out. He soon found out it was Ruby that called him, who appeared next to him at some point. "Hi."

"Hey Ruby," Jackson said. "Where did you come from?"

"I just got back from the Mess Hall," she responded. "Little cookie run. How about you?"

"I had some… business to attend to. It could've gone better, but that's in the past now. So I take it the rest of Team R-"

"Mr. Wesson?"

Jackson turned around to find Ozpin behind him, carrying a weapon. He seemed normal, but something felt… off.

"Professor Ozpin?" Jackson and Ruby asked in unison. "What are you doing here?" Jackson asked.

"I came here to show you this." He held the weapon out for Jackson to grab. Once he did, the click was almost immediate.

"This, this is Khvostov's weapon," Jackson said.

"The guy you found in the forest?" Ruby asked. Jackson silently nodded.

"Indeed it is," Ozpin responded. "Once you showed us the body, we sent a Bullhead to that position as soon as possible. We loaded the body, as well as his personal belongings. We contacted his family, and they couldn't believe that we found his body, after all this time. They were aware of his death prior to your discovery, in fact, they had accepted it as the truth. But now that you found him, they were elated to know he shall now have a proper burial, as well as bring some closure to the family, something they, as well as myself, would like to thank you for.

"As a result, they told us that whoever had found their son, to give them his weapon. They had no need for it, as it would collect nothing but dust, nor did they want it. It would find more action here than at home."

Jackson only looked at the weapon, absorbing what Ozpin said. He now owned a rifle, a worn one, but a rifle nonetheless. Like before, it just felt right to him, he didn't know why.

One thing caught his eye, though. Going over the weapon again, he noticed something ingrained on the barrel of the rifle.

 _7G-02_

Ruby noticed it too, and it looks like she knew something he didn't, because she was basically eyeing the whole thing.

"Something wrong Ruby?" Jackson asked.

"That model number…" Ruby said. "Jackson, that rifle was used in the Great War."

"What?" Jackson couldn't believe what he heard. There was a chance he was holding a weapon that dated back 80+ years.

"It's true," Ozpin said. "Those kinds of models nowadays are called the 7G-0X. When discussing about the rifle with the family, they told us that it was used in the Great War, wielded by Khvostov's great grandfather who fought in it. It's been passed down from generation to generation, not seeing battle until Khvostov decided to use it for Beacon. Now they think it's cursed after his death occurred, which is why they'd rather not have it. It's an ancient instrument of war Jackson, battered and worn - but it still fires true. Perhaps it's been waiting for you.

"Well, I must be off," Ozpin said. "I have some things to attend to. Goodnight to the both of you, class starts back up tomorrow." Ozpin walked off down the hall, leaving the two Hunters-in-training to themselves.

Jackson turned to Ruby. "Well," he said, "Looks like I have a rifle now."

"Uh-huh," Ruby responded. "Which means I'm gonna have to call Vic and cancel the order. I'll have her wire your money back to yo-"

"Tell her to keep it," Jackson said. "I don't mind losing the money, but I'd feel bad for letting her go through the effort of ordering if it was for nothing, and not get anything out of it."

Ruby smiled and nodded. "Alright. So, what do you plan on naming it?" She asked.

"Naming what?"

"Your gun, silly!" Ruby exclaimed.

Jackson never thought about naming his weapons, the one he has now doesn't even have a name. Although the rifle is special in a lot of ways, so it shouldn't go without a name, and he had just the idea.

"Well there's only one that fits it," Jackson said. "Khvostov."

' _You're not out of the fight yet, pal.'_

"Couldn't have picked one better myself," Ruby said. "However, it's got a ways to go before it's fully combat ready, the rust and wear on it's gonna cause it to take a while before it's done. I could probably salvage most of it, but most likely it'll need a few new components."

Jackson held it out to Ruby. "Well then, you better get to work."

Ruby stopped completely, and looked at Jackson in the eye. "You mean, you're giving it to me to fix?" She asked. "You're putting your trust in me?"

"I saw you eyeing it when we were talking to Ozpin," Jackson replied. "Don't lie, you would love nothing more than to disassemble this piece of history and fix it up, while keeping it as close to the original, of course."

Ruby was trembling with joy. In a flash, she wrapped Jackson up in a hug, oozing with happiness.

"Thank you!" She squealed. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou THANK YOU!" Jackson laughed at Ruby's excitement to fix his gun, some people wouldn't even want to fix their own gun.

However things took a turn when Ruby proceeded to kiss him on the cheek.

Jackson suddenly froze, shock paralyzing him, while Ruby turned as red as her cloak as she realized what she just did. There was no way she could undo what just occurred, so she did the next best thing: She snagged the rifle, and flashed away.

Eventually, Jackson could move again, and he placed a hand on his cheek where she had kissed him. Hundreds of thoughts flooded his mind, but he pushed it aside and thought about it rationally.

' _She's a weapon enthusiast, the fact that she got an opportunity to observe, assemble and disassemble a piece of weapon history would make any other gun nut go nuts. She just got caught up in the moment, that's all.'_

Settling on that, he went back to his room to sleep. He had Combat Training with Ms. Goodwitch tomorrow, and he could not _wait_ to see how that goes.

…

AN: **FINALLY! ONE MONTH, ONE GODDAMN MONTH! I suck at trying to get these out in a timely manner, but here it is! For any of you that gets the Destiny reference, y'all are awesome! As for the informant, Gage Sim was courtesy of DatRtfantho, an awesome writer and buddy of mine! I've done this before, but I'll do it again, he's got a complete story called RWBY: Desertion, a whopping 60 chapters, and now he's got a part two for it! He's currently only 14 chapters in, but it's going great so far, and** _ **boy**_ **does he have some great things planned out! School's started back up, so we'll see how it goes from here in terms of uploading, not that it's been good so far ;_;. I've rambled on long enough, I hope you all enjoy your day, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	8. The Tall Tale Of The Talkative Twit

AN: **Hey guys, welcome back to another installment of Dead Man Walking! I've got quite the list of new people aboard this crew, and I couldn't be happier! Shoutout to Mylax, Grimm Knight, Mindscape-v2903, Slisor, Decus777 and xanothos for favoriting/following the story, you guys rock! Let's get to it!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any songs and books that make an appearance within the chapter.**

…

 _Jackson awoke, finding himself lying on his back, staring up at a grey sky. A few droplets of rain had fallen on his face, which was what had originally woken him up. Propping himself up on his hands, he looked around to see where he was, and he knew this place all too well._

 _He laid in the middle of his village, smoldering houses all around him. Pillars of smoke had risen from the houses, and corpses littered the streets, some of them merely skeletons with flabs of flesh still attached, and others torn into two or more. Blood stained the ground, and clothing was torn beyond recognition. Jackson could barely muster the strength to stand and look at the destruction around him._

 _Walking around, he saw everything he had ever known in shambles. Corpses of friends scattered in every direction, the house he lived in burned to the ground. Even his mom and dad, gone._

 _All of these painful memories were cut short when he heard the whirring of Bullheads above him, blowing air in every direction. Once the Bullheads landed, Special Forces began to flow out of them, inspecting the village with their weapons raised._

" _Listen up men!" The Commanding Officer shouted. "I want every inch of this place searched, leave no building untouched, no stone unturned!"_

" _Sir yes sir!" They all responded in unison. They spread out, determined to figure out what caused this. Soon, troops began to reach his position, but instead of stopping to speak with him, they simply walked past him, not even noticing his presence. He was a lingering spirit, standing in the remains of what was once a happy community._

" _reMemBeR JaCksOn."_

 _The voice was dark and distorted, something out of a nightmare, and it came from right behind him._

 _Turning around, he saw himself, but very different. His skin was inhumanly pale, the veins and arteries visible had turned a sickly black. His eyes were completely black, and his irises were blood red. His Aura outline had gone from red to black as well, but there was something different about it. It didn't just outline his body, it was emanating from his body in a gaseous-like form, like a dark smoke._

" _tHe trUtH LiEs iN yOur mEmoRieS jAckSoN," His doppelganger said. "aLl YOu nEEd iS A LiTtle puSh." He smiled, and showed off his razor sharp teeth. Sticking out a hand to his side, his Bowie knife appeared out of thin air, and without hesitation, he stabbed it into Jackson's chest, piercing one of his lungs._

 _Jackson gasped loudly, the pain and shock overloading his system. But before he could do anything, an even worse sensation plagued his body. The darkness that was seeping from his copy had made its way into his body, and began to spread at a rapid pace. It infected his body, and tainted his soul. The pain he felt was unbearable, he tried to scream, but nothing would come out. Soon, he began to feel tired, the pain too much to handle, and he was swept into the darkness, but not without some departing words._

" _yOu mUsT RemEmBeR..."_

…

Jackson awoke rather harshly as he gasped loudly, sitting up rapidly and breaking out into a cold sweat.

' _What the fuck was that thing?"_ Jackson thought. _'He looked just like me, but way different, and he hasn't shown up in my previous dreams.'_

 _*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*_

Jackson looked to his right, and found the alarm on his scroll going off like crazy. Once he took a look at it, it showed it was 7:30 am. Sighing, he tapped the screen and disabled the alarm.

' _It's gotta mean something, but now's not the time,'_ Jackson thought. Getting out of bed, he began to change into his uniform, preparing himself for Ms. Goodwitch's class, he's sure she'll be absolutely _delighted_ to see him if their last conversation was any indication.

February had come to an end, and March has begun. The sun has grown brighter, and the flowers have begun to bloom. Overall, things seem to have gotten brighter and more positive. After holstering his revolver and retrieving the things he'll need for today, he was out the door.

Stepping out into the hallway, he was adjusting his tie when he heard Team RWBY's door open as well. He turned to them and saw they were all dressed properly and seemed rather well rested. He smiled and waved at them, and the team noticed. Weiss waved happily, Blake acknowledged the wave with a nod, Ruby kind of looked away and waved as well, and Yang just glared at him.

Jackson could tell Ruby was still flustered about last night, so he wanted to set things straight. "Hey guys, can you give me and Ruby a moment to talk? We'll meet with you guys in the Mess Hall."

Weiss complied, Blake just followed Weiss, and Yang was more hesitant about it, but after receiving the thumbs up from Ruby, she left as well. Once they left, Jackson turned to Ruby, looking at her expectantly.

Ruby finally decided to face the music. "Look Jackson, I didn't mean for that kiss to happen, I just got really excited about getting to fix your gun, and it just sorta happened. I hope it didn't make things weird between us."

Jackson stared at her for a while, only making Ruby more nervous and guilty/embarrassed. Once it seemed like she was about to crack, Jackson smiled and let out a laugh, pulling her hood over her head.

"Haha, I figured that's what happened, I just needed to be sure. Plus, you look like a little kid who knew they got caught and are about to cry, and I wasn't gonna pass up that opportunity."

Ruby threw back her hood and looked at Jackson with a pissed look. "That's not funny!" Ruby exclaimed. "I really did feel bad about doing that!"

"And you looked absolutely _adorable_ while you felt that!"

This only angered/humored her more, and resulted in a pout from Little Red. Jackson chuckled. "Come on, let's catch up with the others," he said. Ruby nodded and began to resume their walk to the Mess Hall.

"So because you're a 'Firearm Enthusiast' as you put it, I can safely assume you've fully dismantled my rifle, correct?" Jackson asked.

"...Maybe," Ruby responded.

"And what's the damage, Ms. Rose?"

"Well, the inner mechanisms are rusted and worn greatly," Ruby said. "Probably would have blown up in your hands if you tried to fire it. And the spring in the magazine has gone to crap, unable to properly feed the gun, but that's not really an issue, just buy new magazines. However, there were some key components in the inner workings of the gun that practically crumbled in my hands, and my hands are dainty and precise.

"I can get it fixed easily, I just need the pieces necessary to get it up and running," Ruby said.

"Alright," Jackson said. "Well you know more about this weapon than I do, you can order whatever parts and pieces you'll need from Vic, and just tell her to send the bill to me. Give her my scroll number when you call her so she can send it that way." Jackson was about to leave it at that before he remembered something important. "Oh and Ruby, try and keep it as close to the original please. I'll make any changes I want to it myself, so you don't have to bother with it.

"One last thing," Jackson said. "Remember how the scope was cracked? Don't bother changing that out, I'll be keeping that on."

"What?" Ruby asked. "But why?"

Jackson looked back to when he first found it, the scope cracked and the sight in the center glitching out for only a moment, but it was still able to get the job done.

"It's my own little way of reminding me about something," Jackson said. "It may be cracked, but it can still get the job done."

Ruby was about to speak, but thought better of it. Silently nodding, they walked the rest of the way in silence, Ruby in thought, while Jackson was humming a song.

 _Gym Class Heroes - Stereo Hearts_

' _My heart's a stereo,_

 _It beats for you, so listen close,_

 _Hear my thoughts in every no-o-ote,'_

Ruby immediately picked up on the tune he was humming, and she began to sing along:

' _Make me your radio,_

 _Turn me up when you feel low,_

 _This melody was meant for you,_

 _To sing along to my stereo,'_

Jackson was surprised that Ruby knew the song, and was even more surprised to find out she was an amazing singer, he might even go as far as saying she would give Weiss a run for her money.

' _But don't tell Weiss that, please.'_

The surprise singing caused Jackson to stop humming and stare at Ruby, who also stopped singing and shrunk into her cloak, feeling rather embarrassed about her musical outburst.

That is, until Jackson smiled and pulled out his scroll, tapping the screen and playing the song they were just singing, with Jackson picking up where Ruby left off. **(Y'all might want to pull up the actual song so this part will fly by faster.)**

' _Gym Class Heroes Baby!_

 _If I was just another dusty record on the shelf,_

 _Would you blow me off and play me like everybody else?_

 _If I ask you to scratch my back could you manage that,_

 _Like it read well check it Travie, I can handle that,_

 _Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping tracks,_

 _It's just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks,_

 _I used to-used to-used to-used to-now I'm over that,_

 _Cause holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts,'_

Ruby's embarrassment disappeared and in it's place came happiness and partial relief, soon she began to sing along as well.

' _If I could only find a note to make you understand,_

 _I'd sing it softly in your ear and grab you by the hand,_

 _Just keep me stuck inside your head like your favorite tune,_

 _And know my heart's a stereo that only plays for you,'_

Jackson and Ruby continued to sing either one at a time or as a duet in some portions, continuing like this for the rest of their walk.

…

WBY were already sitting at a table with their food before Jackson and Ruby had arrived. Both had set their stuff down and went to go get breakfast. Ruby came back with pancakes, whipped cream and some strawberries, while Jackson just had a cereal bowl of oats and almonds.

They sat down, and before he began, Jackson decided to properly greet the remainder of Team RWBY. "Morning guys," Jackson said.

"Good morning Jackson," Weiss happily responded.

"Morning," Blake said, engulfed in the book in front of her, and a thick one at that. Yang didn't even respond, she basically ignored the greeting.

Jackson remembered what he said to himself in the forest, and was about to act on his resolution, that is, until he did a double take on Blake's book, and was immediately interested.

"Hey, is that The Name of the Wind?" Jackson asked.

Blake was torn from her reading, surprised that Jackson has heard of the book. "Um, yeah," Blake responded. Blake hasn't really come across any avid readers during her time at Beacon, and Jackson was someone Blake would never have suspected to be one, since The Name of the Wind was a hidden literature gem.

' _That, or everyone here doesn't read unless it's for a grade, except for maybe Weiss."_

"I love that book!" Jackson exclaimed. "How far have you gotten into the story?"

"I've only just started," Blake responded. "So far, I'm at the point where Kvothe has only just started to talk about his life after the journalist showed up."

"Ah, so you have yet to read about his ridiculous journey," Jackson said. "It's one of the coolest and craziest I've read. I'm currently waiting on the third book in the series. Tell me when you finish the book, I want to see what you thought of it."

Blake smiled. "I'll be sure to find you when I finish." Blake certainly had her doubts about Jackson, especially after his first impression, but she's starting to warm up to him, knowing she now has someone she can talk to about some books that isn't connected to an assignment.

' _There we go, I'm on the right track,'_ Jackson thought. _'Now I need to figure out I can fix things with Yang. Out of all of Team RWBY, she's the one I need to worry the most about.'_

Before he could continue his train of thought, some new people sat among them, and Jackson only knew them as Team JNPR.

"Hey guys," Jaune said.

"Hi Jaune," Ruby responded. Jaune and the other three had sat down, each with their own tray, one of them containing a massive stack of pancakes.

Eventually, the one called Jaune looked his way, and acknowledged him. "Hey, I remember you," he said. "You were the one with the initiation yesterday. Jackson right?"

"That's what they call me," Jackson responded. "And you guys are Team JNPR, my other assigned team."

"Yep, that's us." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Jaune Arc, the leader. It's cool to meet you in person."

Jackson took his hand in a calm manner. "Likewise," Jackson responded. _'I hope his leadership skills are top-notch, because so far, I don't see much of a warrior in him.'_

"And I'm Nora Valkyrie!" The orange-haired girl exclaimed. "It's so awesome to meet you, especially after meeting your furry friend! Can I ride him? I promise I won't break him like the others!" She was a being of pure energy, moving her body in all directions, whether she spoke or not. And while she seemed fun and silly, she immediately put Jackson on edge when she referred to Beanie about riding him and trying to not break him.

"N-No, sorry Nora," Jackson replied. "Beanie isn't a toy, and I would rather keep him in one piece, and intact."

"Awww," Nora replied. She folded her arms and pouted. "I just met you and you're already no fun."

"Now hold on," Jackson said. "You just so happened to have picked a subject that I take seriously. I haven't turned into Weiss yet."

The table burst out into laughter, even Yang smiled a little, although it looked like she really wasn't trying. However Weiss didn't seem to appreciate the joke.

"Jackson, I've already got four people picking on me," Weiss said. "I don't need one more."

"Regardless," Jackson said, "There's Jaune, Nora, *turns to Ren* and you are…"

"Lie Ren," he responded. "But most people refer to me as just Ren. I usually keep Nora in line, before anything can get out of hand."

Jackson nodded, thankful there was someone to keep Nora under control. All that left was Pyrrha.

Before Pyrrha could speak, Jackson spoke up first, "Wait a minute, you're Pyrrha Nikos, right?"

Pyrrha's smile faded somewhat and she slouched over, lowering her hand. "Yeah, that's right," Pyrrha responded.

"I remember seeing you on the news," Jackson said with genuine interest. "Four-time Mistral Champion, on the cover of Pumpkin Pete's cereal, I don't think there's anyone that doesn't know you."

"You'd be surprised," Weiss said. "Jaune here didn't even recognize her when they first met. He only figured out her status when I had to tell him she was on the cover of Pumpkin Pete's."

Jackson looked over at Jaune, absolutely dumbfounded. "How?"

Jaune sheepishly shrugged. "Well, when you live with seven sisters, you don't have much time to watch the TV."

Jackson didn't want to pursue it any further. Instead, he looked back over to Pyrrha and held out his hand. "Regardless," Jackson said. "It's great to know that I have a highly experienced Huntress-in-training in the team. I look forward to working with you in the field Pyrrha. Plus, it'll be great to get to know the real Pyrrha Nikos, rather than the one they show on TV and cereal boxes."

The latter part of his statement surprised her, and made her considerably more happy. Instead of getting to brag about working with a legend, Jackson seemed genuinely happy to work and interact with her like he would anyone else. Pyrrha took his hand and shook it rather excitedly. "I look forward to getting to know you as well Jackson," Pyrrha said. "You seem to be a welcoming fellow."

The table conversed among themselves, save for any interaction between Jackson and Yang, and continued to do so until the bell indicated them to make their way to their first class. Little did Jackson know, a group of mischievous individuals glared at him from afar, still angered from their less-than-ideal confrontation yesterday evening. But they, at least one of them, will be given an opportunity to settle it (at least temporarily) quite soon.

…

Team RWBY and Jackson made their way to their first period class, which was Professor Port. During their way there, multiple students had greeted Jackson with waves and smiles, most of them first year students like him. It seems his corrupted companion shot him up the social ladder, and while Jackson smiled and waved at them in return, he felt weird and unsettled being the center of attention for it. People had gone from treating him like another face in the crowd to some sort of celebrity among them. He never wanted popularity, he just wanted to introduce Beanie, so he didn't feel so alone in the forest and got the chance to meet others.

After wading his way through the gathering crowd, Jackson was soon able to regroup with Team RWBY at the entrance of Port's classroom. He wished he could go back being just another face.

"Looks like you have followers now Jackson," Ruby mocked. "When are you gonna bring back your star attraction?"

"Ha ha, real knee-slapper there Red Riding Hood," Jackson deadpanned. "I don't like this, just so you know. And I plan on speaking with Ozpin in regards to keeping Beanie on campus."

"Hold on," Blake said, sounding slightly fearful. "You mean to tell us that you want to keep your overgrown canine, COMPLETELY made of darkness, in our backyard?"

"In a nutshell, yes," Jackson replied. "You've all seen how well-trained he is, plus I know Oobleck and Port would absolutely love it. Oobleck would observe Beanie with a burning passion, and Port… actually, I don't know what Port would do with a Grimm that isn't out for the blood of humans and faunus."

"Pfft, he'd probably use him to fight against students in some kind of hand-to-hand," Weiss remarked. "Pretty ridiculous right Jackson? Jackson?" Where Jackson once stood was merely a cloud of dust, as Port's door was thrown wide open, rapid footsteps and a voice screaming out all they could hear.

"PORT PORT PORT PORT PORT!"

"*sigh* Me and my big mouth," Weiss muttered. She and the rest of Team RWBY went running in after him.

Port was organizing the various items he had on his desk, as well as polishing his blunderbuss/axe when Jackson came running into his classroom, Team RWBY taking up the rear.

"Jackson my dear boy!" Port exclaimed in his signature joyous baritone voice. "What brings you into my classroom so early?"

"*pant* *pant* Give me a second Mr. Port," Jackson said, his voice ragged. After a moment, his heavy breathing calmed down, and Jackson was able to speak properly. "I wanted to talk to you in regards to Beanie."

"Ah yes," Port said. "Your Grimm companion. A creation of darkness with a heart of gold. What would you like to discuss?"

"Once I finish with classes today, I wanted to speak with Ozpin about what we can do in regards to keeping Beanie on campus," Jackson said. "If he were to agree to such terms, do you think you could find some kind of use for Beanie in your class? without weapons, of course."

The question threw Port for a loop, but after recovering, Port had put some thought into it, and soon a lightbulb turned on. "Lad, this just may just work out in both our favors," Port said. "I've always wanted to teach young minds how to handle a Grimm encounter when caught without their weapon, but alas, there is a vast difference between training for an encounter and a real-life scenario. I could never put one of my students against a Grimm unarmed, regardless of how much faith I have in their quick wits and abilities. "However," Port continued, "Now that we have a seemingly conscious and tame Grimm, my dream could soon become a reality! If Ozpin agrees to house the Grimm on school grounds, or in the outskirts, I shall be more than happy to have your companion in my class. One-on-one, Mano a Mano! Reminds me of my days as a young and ambitious Hunter. I was on a mission for the City of Vale to check the perimeter for any Grimm, however, I never would have thought that I would come across a full pack of beowolves! I was able to vanquish most of them, but the remaining one had caught me off guard and disarmed me! I was forced to combat the Grimm with my bare hands, the battle lasting hours! He put up a noble fight, but with my quick thinking-"

"Um, maybe you should save that story for later Mr. Port," Jackson said. "You shouldn't waste such an interesting story on only five students."

"Haha, if you insist," Port said. "But I must say it is one of my finest tales yet! But be warned, Ozpin is not an easy man to convince. He did not get to where he is today being a pushover."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jackson said. "Thank you Professor Port." As soon as he finished, the bell rang, and students began to trickle in and take their seats. Jackson and Team RWBY proceeds to do the same. Once everyone was seated and ready, Port took center stage.

"Good morning students!" Port bellowed. "I hope you all enjoyed your three-day weekend, well, most of you. And today I have a surprise for you all!

"As a Grimm Studies teacher, it is my duty to teach you young minds everything there is to know about the Grimm, from old information to new discoveries constantly being made. Weak points, the most effective methods for defeating each type of Grimm, and so on.

"Yesterday however, a breakthrough discovery has occurred. For the first in all of human history, a man was able to not only take the Grimm, but has turned it into a companion. MR. WESSON!" All eyes turned to him, suddenly put on the spot.

And he was just ready to fold.

"Yesterday, Mr. Wesson introduced to us his friend, Beanie, and we were all awestruck at the sight. Jackson, if you don't mind, I'd like you to tell us how this all began, how Beanie became a friend, rather than an enemy. And spare not a single detail!"

"Uhhhhhhh-"

The whole classroom erupted in cheers and encouragement/peer pressure, dying to know how this was even possible. Try as he might to dissuade them, his attempts were in vain as they continued to chant, even RWBY and JNPR.

"Tell us how! Tell us how! Tell us how!"

"Alright alright!" Jackson exclaimed. "I'll tell you all how it happened." The class began to cheer.

"HOWEVER," Jackson interrupted, his booming baritone voice hushing the crowd. "Just because I did it, this doesn't mean you all should go out and try to recreate the results. It's dangerous and extremely stupid. Be happy with the one you have right now."

While most of the crowd had no intentions of doing any such things, a few groans and boos could be heard from the crowd, one of them in particular coming from a member of Team JNPR.

"Wonderful!" Port said. "The stage is yours, my boy." With that, Peter Port walked off stage and took a seat among the crowd, just as eager, if not more so, to hear Jackson's tale. Jackson stood up from his seat and took the stage.

"*ahem* This story takes place two years prior to my admittance into Beacon Academy. What you are about to hear is 100% true in every aspect, whether or not you dare to believe this to be so." Jackson took pride in his storytelling, even as a child he made his stories seem like a grand affair, as professional and interesting his mind could perceive. And thus, we dive into the story of Jackson, and his tale of unexpected partnership.

…

 _Deep in the Emerald Forest_

 _Two Years Ago_

Thirteen-year old Jackson was carefully moving through the forest eyeing his surrounding carefully, bow in hand, and arrow at the ready.

" _I was a younger and inexperienced child, full of curiosity and uncertainty in regards to what lay among the trees. At the time, I had a rather impressive set of skills concerning my old but trusty recurve bow, able to cover about 40 yards comfortably. However, in regards to my revolver, I still wasn't able to properly handle it without it flying out of grasp at the pull of every trigger. So, for the time being, it was holstered away, making a mental note to practice with it more._

" _Whether or not I was able to properly handle the damn thing, it would have been unfit for the current situation, for you see, I was on a hunt, a hunt for elk. Although the forest have been ravaged by Grimm for as long as mankind can remember, elk and other wildlife have been able to hold their own, and have surprisingly flourished in the rich flora and fauna, but the same couldn't be said for some other wildlife._

 _It was one of the first of many hunting expeditions I would take during my time there, and boy was I terrified. I was alone, and unaware of my surrounding, so I had to be extra careful when making my way through shrubbery."_

…

A hand went up in the crowd, which belonged to a girl with long brown rabbit ears, and an accent in her speaking. "Why were you alone in the forest with outdated weaponry?" She asked. "Weren't your parents or some sort of guardian with you?"

' _Oh fuck,'_ Jackson thought. _'I forgot none of them know the truth. Quick, think!'_ "Um, the reason for the old bow was because I had practiced with only that bow in particular," Jackson said. "Plus, I lived in a rural village at the time, and the only things we used were what we made with our own two hands. We didn't accept any outside help, especially from Vale. We were a proud group, and we didn't take pity, at least that's how we saw it. As for the lack of adult supervision, I, uh, snuck out of the village to go hunt. I wanted to prove that I was just as capable as the other men in my village, and that I should be able to accompany them on their hunting trips."

The rabbit Faunus nodded, seeming to understand his "explanation".

"And while I was able to bag a kill, I got much more than I bargained for."

…

" _After what seemed like hours trekking through the forest, I finally caught a break."_ Out about 42 yards, he spotted an elk casually grazing the field, unaware of his presence. Going down to a crouch, young Jackson slowly made his way closer to the elk, so as to make it easier for him to hit.

" _At about 35 yards, I stopped. I didn't dare move an inch closer. Lest I wanted to scare it away, I was just fine at my current distance. This was my first time actually having to shoot an elk, so I was obviously very nervous. Taking a moment to compose myself, I prepared my bow for a quick and clean kill."_

Pulling back the bow string, he relaxed his body, taking a deep breath and letting it out. His hand relaxed, letting the string go and sending the arrow streak through the air, screeching toward its target.

Bullseye.

" _My training kicked in, and the calculating part of my mind took over. When I came back to the real world, I witnessed the elk take a handful of steps, before collapsing in a heap. Silently congratulating myself, I practically ran over to my prize._

" _However, my accomplishment would soon leave my mind, for I heard a growl and a whimper not far from the carcass. My curiosity getting the better of me, I pulled out another arrow from my quiver and made my way to the disturbance. As I got closer and closer to the source, I could hear swipes and small yelps, which only fueled me to find it even more. When I finally pushed through some shrubbery in front of me, what I saw drained the color from my face and paralyzed me from the waist down._

" _Standing before me was a large beowolf, but not an Alpha, at least, not yet. And quivering before it was a small ball of fur, trembling and whimpering at the beast towering over it._

" _Now something should be noted. Due to recent Grimm studies I've done in the library, it's known for Grimm to turn on their offspring, more so if the offspring comes from a rival Grimm. My only assumption is that the parents were killed and dissipated, thus the lack of any other adult Grimm in the immediate vicinity. Something else that should be mentioned. At birth, baby Grimm have very few of the signature traits people would see in a Grimm encounter. No bone plating, no spike, the only thing that they retain at birth are the glowing red eyes of Grimm as a species. At the time, I didn't know any of this, so all I saw was a big scary monster about to snack on a poor defenseless pup. The truth wouldn't hit me until much later. Moving on._

" _Every raw instinct within me was screaming at me to run, let nature take its course, to save myself and avoid a confrontation. But my heart said otherwise. If I had let that poor thing be killed when I could have done something, but instead ignored it and went on with my life, I'd never live with myself._

" _Being the young idiot with a death wish I was two years ago, I acted quickly and drew back the arrow, the knot in my stomach getting tighter and tighter with each passing second. Finally,_ _ **'HEY!'**_ _The Grimm took its attention off the pup and stared directly at me, turning its body towards me in the process and giving me a bigger target to hit, and at this point, I needed all the help I could get. I finally fired, and miraculously, I hit my target. Just not very well._

" _The arrow ended up being jammed into its right shoulder, and it howled in pain, glaring daggers at me. Completely forgetting about the pup, the beowolf began to charge at me. My hands were shaking wildly, so I couldn't pull another arrow out of the quiver, let alone ready another shot. My only other option was to dodge._

" _Thankfully, the shoulder the arrow landed on was to its dominant arm, so as I rolled to the left, the beowolf swung with its right, and yelped in pain as it did so. And while it helped me a little bit, it brought up another predicament._

" _Because the fight suddenly turned close-quarters, I wasn't able to use my bow efficiently, which only left me with my revolver, which had a good chance of flying out of my hands once I fire off a shot. My situation hadn't really improved._

" _I was fucking terrified. Here I was fighting off a Grimm practically twice as tall as me, with no real effective way of taking it down. Doubts were clouding my mind, I bit off more than I can chew, I just dug my own grave, any negative thought you can think of, went through my head two or three times. Not only that, but it was my first time dealing with this kind of scenario, no prior experience, no advice, nada. Some of you are thinking, 'How did he get out of it?' Hell, I didn't even know what I was gonna do. I was waiting to see what I'd pull out my ass just like you guys."_ This got a positive response from the crowd, as laughs and chuckles came from the audience. _"Just as the beowolf was getting ready to swing at me again, I had an idea. It was an insane and stupid one, but it was the only one I had. Plus, it all went according to plan, there would be no possible way I could miss it."_ Pulling out his revolver, he steeled himself for his batshit crazy plan. Aiming it at the beowolf, he waited.

" _Holding my breath, I watched as the beowolf charged me with bloodlust in its eyes. I had to still myself so I could have a chance at killing it as quickly as possible. It got closer and closer at an alarming rate, to the point I was damn near ready to bolt and leave the pup for dead."_ Soon, the beowolf was upon him, and opened its mouth wide open to chomp his head off, a fatal mistake.

 _BANG!_

" _I shut my eyes and pulled the trigger. It fired and flew out of my hands, and sending me onto my butt. A moment passed where I was trying to figure out whether I was dead or not. After a few seconds, I finally opened my eyes, and for the first time in the last two minutes, I let out a ragged breath._

Lying in a heap was the beowolf, the top half of its head blown to bits, already beginning to dissipate. _"Knowing the Grimm was taken care of, I looked over to where I last saw the pup, and surprisingly enough, it was still there. It stared at me, although I couldn't figure out if it was curiosity, fear, or a mix of both."_ Jackson attempted to approach the furball, but it backed away and whimpered/growled at him. However, if he moved away from it, it would follow him, but at a safe distance.

" _Just from where I was, I could tell the pup was horribly malnourished. Its figure was concerningly thin, I could even make out the ribs through the fur. How it managed to stand and walk was beyond me. At that point, I knew what I had to do. I began to make my way back to my kill, occasionally looking behind me to see if it was still following me. Thankfully, it followed me back to the elk carcass. I was about to pull out my revolver,_

" _And I realized I left my revolver where it landed after the shot without bothering to pick it up."_ *Crowd laughs and chuckles*

" _After going back to retrieve it, I made my way back to the carcass, and changing my revolver to the Bowie knife component, I skinned the elk and cut off a slab of meat from its thigh. I tossed the slab at the furball, who immediately backpedaled from the meat. After a quick inspection and sniff, it immediately dug in, forgetting I was even there._

" _I saw this as my chance. Slowly and carefully, I began to make my way towards it. I made it a good distance, but then it finally noticed, growling and tensing up. It threw me off for a moment, but I was determined. I continued to close the gap between us, moving slowly and making sure anything I did wouldn't provoke it and cause it to attack. It finally had a meal to eat in God knows how long, it would rather die than give up this meal, which is what it would escalate to if I screwed up._

" _After a long and laborious process, I was within arm's reach, no sign of relaxation in the pup. It hadn't made any move against me yet, but it'll take less than half a second for this to go south. I had gotten this far, I wasn't about to back out now. Reaching out, I placed my hand on its head, scared shitless as I did so. There was a moment where it still growled, baring its teeth, but made no move. Seconds felt like hours, and finally, it stopped growling and returned to eating the meat._

" _It wasn't until that moment did I realize I was holding my breath the entire time this occurred, because I let out a large shaky breath, my knees suddenly weak. Almost immediately after, my legs soon gave out, and I plopped down on my butt, hand still on the pup. It continued to eat as I just sat there, petting its little head. At that moment, a connection was made._

" _Grimm are raised in a brutal and unforgiving environment. They are starved, attacked, and sometimes abandoned to fend for themselves. It's what makes them the way they are now, the creatures of Darkness that know nothing other than survival and murder, attracted to negative emotions. But with the pup, it was different. It was never meant to be loved, properly fed, or rescued. Because of that one act of generosity, I derailed the path he was supposed to follow. One small light can extinguish a darkness a hundred times bigger than it."_

" _ **Heh, you're lucky I came across you when I did. Don't worry little buddy, I'll take good care of you."**_

" _The pup finished up his meal and looked back at me with a smile on his face and his tongue stuck out happily. I couldn't help but smile at the sight, I even chuckled as I continued to pet him."_

" _ **You need a name pal. Now what kind of name would fit for a furball like you? Fluffball? Nah, too cutesy. Fido? No, too stereotypical. Hmmmm… I got it! Beanie!"**_

This got a response from him, as he barked happily at the sound of it. Henceforth, the ball of evil fur was now referred to as Beanie. Jackson definitely did notice the beady red eyes he had, but he paid no mind to it at the time. From there on out, they became companions, man and animal, darkness and light. With their relationship, it seemed like anything truly was possible.

Including the terrible ones.

…

"And that's how I found him and had him as a friend. Over the next two years, he'd hide in the outskirts of my village, and I would occasionally sneak off to play with him. It became more difficult after the first few months, where I'd found out exactly just what I had saved, bone plates being a clear sign. Regardless, I still did what I could to take care of him, feed him and give him water, until he reached the point where he was fully capable of taking care of himself. Once that happened, I was afraid he'd leave and wander the woods, always at risk of getting killed by the village's scouts or nearby Huntsmen. But miraculously, he stayed, and then I knew we had something special. Even through all these years, I know he won't be ever leave my side."

Jackson swore he heard a few sniffles from the audience, especially from Port. But none of them were tears of sadness, everyone had smiles on their faces, even Yang had one, though hers was barely noticeable. Jackson nodded his head and returned to his seat, Port taking the stage soon after.

"That was a wonderful tale," Port said, his voice somewhat squeaky. "I can't thank you enough for sharing with us Jackson. What you have with your Grimm pet is truly remarkable."

"Thank you Mr. Port," Jackson said politely. "I'm just glad he now has a potential place to roam around freely, without being a target in the eyes of others."

"Indeed," Port responded. "Well, it seems as though Mr. Wesson's story has taken up all of class. There will be no homework today, we will resume class tomorrow. Dismissed."

Everyone gathered their things and left the classroom, RWBY waiting for him at the door. When Jackson reached them, they all had ranging smiles, Ruby with the biggest of them all, Weiss with a moderate smile, Blake with a small, almost hidden one, and Yang had a neutral face, neither negative or positive.

' _Well, it's better than a Yang that's glaring daggers at me.'_

"That was a great story Jackson!" Ruby exclaimed. "Your deep voice made it sound like a professional performance!"

"Heh, thanks Ruby," Jackson said, slightly uncomfortable at the praise. "It's nothing really, I just remember it like it was yesterday. Anyone can tell a good story."

"You'd be surprised," Weiss mumbled under her breath, recalling all the stories Ruby would tell them, using childish hand motions and silly noises in her stories.

"So Oobleck's next, right?" Jackson asked.

"Yep," Ruby responded. "Worst part of the day, in my opinion. Too much information, too little time."

"Well, let's see what he'll do," Blake said. "Hell, he might even have Jackson tell his story again." The rest of Team RWBY and Jackson chuckled at her joke, soon reaching Oobleck's classroom. Walking in, they saw they weren't the first ones there, a handful of students scattered about the classroom.

Taking their seats, they waited as the room filled up, not taking long, surprisingly. One everyone was present and accounted for, Oobleck dashed onto the stage, ready to give today's lesson.

However, the world has a twisted sense of humor.

"Goodmorningeveryone!" Oobleck shot out in less than a second. "I had originally planned to use today to review some events during the Great War, but history was made recently, and I simply CANNOT ignore such a revolutionary discovery. MISTERWESSON!"

The class turned to face him, once again the center of attention.

"Yesterday evening, you presented us something none of us could even begin to comprehend as a possibility, you showed us a Grimm, one that happened to be your companion."

Jackson's eyes widened as he realized where this was going. Meanwhile, Blake shrank behind her book as the rest of her team glared at her for her jinx, Jackson even threw a look at her, but one of shock more than anything.

' _Goddammit Blake.'_ "*sigh*, Here we go again."

…

 _Beacon Halls_

 _After Oobleck's Period, and Jackson's 2nd Vocal Performance_

After repeating the storytelling for a second time, Jackson and RWBY began to make their way towards the Mess Hall for lunch, until Jackson remembered his punishment.

"Ah, crap," Jackson sighed. "I just remembered I have to serve detention for yesterday's incident. What class is after lunch?"

"We have Combat Class with Ms. Goodwitch," Weiss said. "Which, coincidentally, is the same classroom where detention is being held."

"In that case," Jackson said, "I bid you all adieu." Without another word, Jackson changed course and headed for his punishment. After wandering the halls for a bit, he finally found his destination, and headed in. Although it was nothing like he'd thought it'd be.

Instead of a brightly lit classroom with color and coziness, it was rather dark, lights only shone on the stage, everything else a dark shade of grey. Nothing about this room was a safe environment, then again, students are put against each other to see who can win in a fight, the only time it's a valid option to settle a dispute.

Taking a random seat, Jackson sat down, just as Glynda arrived. Upon setting eyes on him, her mood went from mild annoyance to outright anger/disgust. In her eyes, Jackson was nothing but a risk and a liability, more so than the other students. Not even his first week here, and he injured three students, prior to his admittance, brought a high-class Grimm onto school grounds, and semi-severely injured another student. And his punishment? Spend an hour in her classroom, and think about what he did.

"Hello Ms. Goodwitch," Jackson said in a somewhat cheerful voice. Glynda didn't even respond, she just shot a cold look at him.

It looked like things weren't going to go well, until the doors swung open to reveal a certain blonde brawler.

"Yang?" Jackson asked, surprised she'd be here. "What are you doing here?"

She took a seat next to him. "*sigh*, I was going to lunch for the rest of my team, and we came across Ozpin who kindly reminded me of my detention time," Yang said. "So, here I am, serving my sentence."

"And how long is said sentence?" Jackson asked.

"Like two or three days," Yang said. She also shot a look at him, making Jackson thankful looks didn't kill. "Keep in mind, you're the cause of my detention, direct or indirect."

Jackson flinched as he heard those words, because whether or not he liked it, her words held some merit. While Yang was let off easy compared to Ruby and Blake, Jackson was still trying to make amends with Yang, but she still holds a grudge against him. Well, it's only just the two, now's as good time as any to confront the tension.

Jackson began, "Look Yang-"

But wasn't able to continue, as the door flew open yet again. Once Yang and Jackson saw who set foot through the door, both made a face at who it was, none other than Cardin Winchester. He walked in, and saw Yang first, which caused him to smile and waltz over, in an attempt to be charming.

"Hey there sweetheart," Cardin said. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?" It was only until just now did Cardin notice Jackson was right next to her, and his smile went from a smile to a nasty snarl. "Hey, you're the asshole that busted my nose yesterday!"

"And you're the meathead that tried to club my pal into next week," Jackson retorted.

"What did you say?" Cardin asked, anger evident in his voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry, can you not understand? Let me dumb it down for you," Jackson said. "You were a big meanie to my friend, and I did not like you trying to hurt him."

Cardin was fuming. He stomped over to where Jackson sat, and he stood up to face him. Cardin had a few inches on him, but that didn't discourage Jackson from facing the thick-headed brute.

"Keep talking shit buddy, and soon you'll be a goddamn stain on the floor," Cardin threatened.

In response, Jackson laughed in his face, shocking Cardin and pushing him that much closer to the edge. "Please, I've seen Corgis with a bigger bark than you. Hell, they most likely have a harder bite too." Yang snickered behind them, trying her best to contain herself. That did it for Cardin.

In an instant, Jackson was hoisted into the air, courtesy of Cardin. Even in this sudden turn of events, Jackson didn't seem fazed in his attempt to show off his strength.

"Oho, you fucked up now pal," Cardin said. "It'll be a miracle if you survive the beating." No sooner that he said those words did a knife appear at his throat.

Jackson smiled as he held his bowie knife at Cardin's neck. While it's encouraged to keep your weapons in your locker, Jackson refused to do any such thing, always keeping it at his side in its holster or tucked in his pants. "I'm ready to meet my maker," Jackson said. "How about you hotshot?"

"That's enough!" Glynda exclaimed. "If you two wish to settle a dispute, then you are more than welcome to prepare a sparring match next period." Glynda couldn't deal with both of them at once, she'd rather have them settle it themselves in the ring. If Jackson has any decency/common sense, he'll back off and leave Cardin be should he lose. Should Cardin lose the match…

Well, what are you gonna do?

Cardin smiled at her proposition. "Yeah, let's settle it in the ring," he said. "I'll get to use my mace to clobber you to a paste. Maybe then you'll learn your lesson."

"I wish I could say the same," Jackson said. "But your skull's probably too thick for any point to get across, no matter how many times I try to bash it in."

Cardin had to try _really_ hard to not sock Jackson in the face, lest he wants to add another few days to his already month-long detention.

"We'll see," Cardin said, taking a seat across the room from them. Jackson returned to his own, Yang looking at him skeptically.

"You sure you can take on Cardin?" Yang asked. "Don't get me wrong, I get to see one asshole go down one way or another, so it's a win-win for me either way. But it'd be better to see High-and-Mighty over there get de-throned by the new kid."

"Please," Jackson said. "It'll be a walk in the park."

"Only time will tell, Jack," Yang said, drifting off into a silent slumber. "Only time will tell…"

…

 _45 Minutes Later_

 _Combat Class_

Cardin, Yang, and Jackson all waited in their respective seats, waiting for everyone to arrive to get this show on the road. Cardin and Jackson had already changed into their gear during detention. Both were waiting impatiently, Cardin more so of the two. Eventually, students, Team RWBY included, began to fill up the class, which made the two contenders more fidgety. Once everyone was seated, Glynda was finally able to begin.

"Welcome everyone," Glynda said. "Today, we have an event scheduled between two students.

"If you remember yesterday, Mr. Wesson brought his 'pet' to present to you all. In the midst of the excitement and confusion, a scuffle occurred between him and Mr. Winchester. As a result, Mr. Winchester was sent to the infirmary for a broken nose. Now they wish to settle their dispute in the ring. Please step up to the stage."

Jackson and Cardin took that as their cue and stood up, shooting a look, and made their way to the stage, each one on either side of it. Cardin was overly confident in himself, as his posture looked relaxed and loose, a smirk visible on his face. His mace had the capability to put him out of the fight if he uses it right, especially with the red Dust crystal implanted in it. Jackson could tell this man was a tank, a heavy-hitter, able to take a hit, but slow as hell in a fight. Jackson didn't wear heavy armor like Cardin had, and was flexible in his hoodie. He was quick, and his stamina really impressive, after all, three years of running from Grimm does that to you. All he has to do is keep moving, and wear him down over time, unless he has to end it in an instant.

"Ready? BEGIN!"

Without hesitation, Cardin charged, dragging his mace behind, hoping to bash him like a game of whack-a-mole. However Jackson could see him coming from a mile away, and with a side-step to the right, the mace smashed into the ground right next to him. Taking advantage of the temporary distraction, Jackson dashed into Cardin's bubble, and socked him in the gut.

An audible _oof_ could be heard coming from Cardin, but it didn't have much of an effect on him, the most it did was piss him off. Ditching the mace for the moment, he attempted to grab Jackson with his bare hands, but he was a slippery one, and he managed to slither his way out of his grasp, putting some space between himself and Cardin, his back facing Jackson.

Seeing this as an opportunity, he pulled out his revolver and fired off all five shots. In his haste, he only managed to land two shots, the other three near misses. Regardless of accuracy, the two shots took off a fair portion of his Aura, according the the Aura bars above the ring. Jackson remained in the healthy green, while Cardin's depleted into a sickly green.

Infuriated by this turn of events, Cardin ripped his mace out of the floor with little effort, and faced Jackson, who was in the middle of reloading in his revolver. Hey may be a jackass, but even he knows when he's in trouble, though he'll never admit it to anybody. It's time to turn up the heat.

Pressing the button on the handle of his mace, he activated the red Dust crystal in his mace, ready to wreak some havoc. Cardin charged Jackson once again, but instead of going the full distance, he stopped ¾ of the way, and swung. It wasn't until what happened after did Jackson realize why.

A literal line of fire barreled its way towards Jackson, and he was able to die out of the way, resulting in partial burns, but it's better than ending up a charred corpse. What surprised Jackson more was Cardin continued to fling fire at him, and in quick succession. Jackson was forced to go on the defensive, dodging and weaving the attacks, each one whittling away at his Aura over time. Eventually, Cardin let up on his fiery assault, and resulted in Jackson's Aura diving into the yellow.

Jackson couldn't afford another hit like that. He can evade melee attacks just fine, but that Dust crystal of his was a whole different story. If he wanted to beat him, he'd have to end this, and quick. Looking back at Cardin, he was already charging him once again, and the glowing red crystal didn't indicate anything good. Now relying on raw instinct, Jackson pulled out his revolver once again, and fired off all five shots. This time however, he wasn't as quick to fire off every bullet, and as a result, four of the five landed on Cardin, two in the chest, one in the shoulder, and the last one on his forearm. While the incoming fire didn't stop Cardin, it did derail him from his original course, stumbling and wavering to the right. Checking the Aura bar, Cardin's Aura had dropped significantly, dropping into the yellow, and dangerously close to the red.

Jackson had him by the ropes, and Cardin was well aware of it. He was getting desperate, and decided to put everything he had into one last attack. Steadying himself, he activated the Dust crystal one last time, and covered the remaining distance between him and Jackson.

Jackson wouldn't be able to reload his gun before Cardin closed the gap, he was close enough as it is. He also noticed that Cardin wasn't slowing down, which meant that he intended to use his mace and bash him into the ground, the glowing crystal signifying a fiery inferno. He wouldn't be able to dive to the side without having his legs crippled, and dashing backwards would most likely result in him flying through the air due to the blast wave, and of course he couldn't go forward. That only left one reasonable solution.

Putting away the revolver, Jackson pumped some Aura into his hands, and prepping himself, he caught the mace mid-slam, putting it to an abrupt stop, and surprising Cardin. His state of shock didn't last long though, as he now began to put force into the mace, essentially trying to push Jackson down. And it appeared to be working, as the applied pressure forced Jackson down to one knee. At this rate, he'll be pinned to the ground.

' _Well, desperate times called for desperate measures.'_

Going against his better judgement, Jackson activated his Dust gloves, and sent an electrical current through the mace, and into Cardin, who immediately let go of it before he knew what he was doing, essentially disarming himself. However, something else happened, something his better judgement was probably warning him about.

The Dust crystal began glowing, brighter and brighter as each second passed, as well as the ferocity of the shaking of the mace. The crystal was reacting violently to the electrical current Jackson put in the mace, until it reached a point where the Dust crystal exploded, engulfing Jackson and Cardin in a plume of fire.

Students, as well as Glynda, instinctively ducked and looked away from the explosion, feeling the heat wave hit her and the front row of students. When the smoke cleared, both Cardin and Jackson laid on their back, thrown back from the explosion from each other, Cardin's mace lying on the floor in front of the first row of students, missing the crystal. Jackson had his clothes burnt with holes in his hoodie and pants, while Cardin had scorch marks on his armor plating, as well as some soot on his face.

Glynda checked her tablet to see how this played out, and what she saw came out to be very close. While Cardin had the lower Aura, he was farther away from the explosion than Jackson, who had a higher Aura at the time. Even after careful analyzation, Glynda just couldn't determine who had won.

"Game! Set!" Glynda announced. "Tie!"

"What?!" Cardin exclaimed. Before he could continue, he could hear laughter coming from in front of him, which turned out to be coming from Jackson.

"That. Was. Awesome!" Jackson said, throwing his fists into the air, whooping and hollering as he did so. Picking himself up, he brushed himself off, and examined his gun to make sure nothing bad had come of it from the explosion.

"Perhaps next time, Mr. Winchester," Glynda said. "There'll be more opportunities in the future."

"No!" Cardin screamed. "This ends here, and now!" He stood up and ran towards Jackson, hoping to catch him off guard, and deal a concussive blow with his fist. But it didn't work, his loud stomps had alerted Jackson, and he had enough time to turn the tables on Cardin.

Dodging the swing, Jackson went low and was able to wrap his arms around Cardin's waist, and pulled him to a hard stop. Once he did, he used his legs and back to pull Cardin up and over his body, performing an Atlesian Suplex on him.

"Up and over Buckaroo!" Jackson said, as he slammed Cardin into the ground behind him.

Hard.

Upon impact, the weight and force of Cardin made cracks in the floor appear, and putting Cardin out of commission.

"Game! Set!" Glynda exclaimed once again. "The winner is Jackson Wesson!"

Team RWBY erupted in cheers, and the rest of the class followed suit, either impressed by his display, had an intense dislike for Cardin, or a mixture of both. Jackson walked over to where Cardin laid on the floor, and looked down at him.

"How's it feel to have your ass handed to you by the new kid?" Jackson asked. "Better luck next time." As he began to make his way off the stage, he could hear grunts and the sounds of feet. Jackson sighed. _'This bastard doesn't know when to quit, does he?'_

Sure enough, when he turned around, Cardin was back on his feet, just barely, and was about to swing a punch at him. However in his current state, the swing was sluggish and way off. Cardin stumbled forward as he missed, and fell to his knees. Pulling out his revolver, Jackson fired off two shots at Cardin's legs, rendering him unable to stand back up.

Students aren't given live rounds during combat matches, God no. Instead, they're given dummy rounds before the match begins, rubber bullets instead of copper. While it doesn't penetrate the skin, it is able to simulate a gunshot wound beautifully through the pain given upon contact.

Once incapacitated, Jackson began to walk away, until he felt something grab his leg. And lo and behold, it was Cardin, the most stubborn bastard Jackson's had the displeasure of meeting.

"This...ain't...over...yet," Cardin grunted. Jackson has had enough at this point. Looking over to Glynda, he looked for any sign of approval from her, and she acknowledged it with the slightest nod, enough for him to notice.

Silently thanking her, Jackson tossed his revolver up, and caught it by the barrel, the pistol grip facing inward. Without a moment's hesitation, he pistol-whipped the shit out of Cardin across the face, finally knocking him out.

Holstering his weapon, he shook off Cardin's hand, and walked off stage, feeling good about his fight.

He hopes he'll get to do it again in the future.

…

AN: **Ayyy, this came out in a timely-ish manner! Hooray! There really isn't much to say here, only that I'm so grateful for you guys following and favoriting either me or the story. It means so much to me that you guys are enjoying my story. Really, it helps me find the drive to keep doing these chapters with new people being interested in my work. Follow, Favorite, and last but certainly not least, REVIEW! Enjoy your day/evening, and I'll see you guys next time!**


	9. Beginning To Remember The Past

AN: **Hey guys, welcome back to Dead Man Walking! Shoutout to CrashCourses, TheRedHood1999 and crazyman90 for following/favoriting the story, let's begin!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or anything that makes an appearance within the story, only my OC.**

…

Jackson had exited Glynda's classroom a smug man from his victory over Cardin, who has yet to regain consciousness. Team RWBY was behind him as they made their way to Peach's class.

"That was awesome Jackson!" Ruby exclaimed. "You showed him, with your mad skills and lightning hands." Jackson couldn't help but chuckle at Ruby's excitement, and how it translated into a little child telling a story.

"It was pretty impressive," Blake commented. "Most people would kill to be in your shoes and beat Cardin."

Regardless of Cardin's social standpoint, in the ring he was a formidable opponent. He's able to take a hit and dish it back two fold. It's also a major reason why most people don't stand up to Cardin, not only will he continue to bully their original victim, anyone who tried to stop him would end up being bullied too. At least, more than they already were.

"Honestly," Jackson said, "I was kinda nervous he'd beat me. If it wasn't for my trusty sidearm, he would've destroyed me."

Ruby had felt that something was amiss, and it wasn't until just now did she realize what it was. "Hey Jackson?" She said. "What's the name of your gun?"

"Pardon?" Jackson was thrown off by the question. As Ruby asked that, a group of three students had passed by them, one of them knocking shoulders with him, something Jackson paid no mind to.

"You know, the name," Ruby repeated. "Like how my weapon is Crescent Rose, Weiss' is Myrtenaster, Blake's is Gambol Shroud, and Yang's is Ember Celica."

"It doesn't have a name," Jackson said. "Neither does my bow." He looked at Ruby like she took the weapon enthusiast title a _little_ too far.

However this seemed more common than he thought, because all of Team RWBY looked at him with a surprised expression, and they all uttered one word, Ruby at a much higher pitch than the rest.

"WHAT?!"

…

Cinder caught a glimpse of the new arrival, before Mercury had glanced him off, Emerald with a look of disgust at how happy they were after passing them.

"Looks like our pals made a new friend," Mercury remarked. Mercury black had a full head of grey hair, a few bangs falling in front of his face, sometimes covering his black eyes. When not in his school uniform, he wore a black and grey collared shirt, a zipper attached going down to his upper abdomen, padding on his arms from the shoulder down, and black pants, a single grey line going down the side of each leg. What made him unique from the other students at the academy was that rather than fight with a weapon or his hands, a majority of his attacks come from his feet. Integrated into his boots are a weaponized mechanism that allows him to fire off single or several shots at a time.

However, what most people don't realize is that in a way, he could be considered a cripple. From the knee down on both his legs, are two weaponized high-tech prosthetic legs. Those who do know of his somewhat-disability have little to no clue as to what happened.

"He could be an issue later," Emerald said. "I saw the way he handled the meathead in Combat Class." Emerald Sustrai was certainly a sight to behold. Ebony skin, green hair with two long strands falling down her back, and eyes as red as the devil, she could be your best friend, or your worst nightmare. Her usual attire was rather revealing from the waist up, a bra covering her very visible bust, and a white cloth that goes around it and wraps around her neck. She wore white pants, and what seemed to be a pair of cowboy chaps above it, but with a more feminine touch. With two holsters behind her, she holds two green revolvers, having the ability to transform into either sickles, or grapples, the guns detaching from the handle with a chain to keep them connected.

"Oh Emerald, don't be silly," Cinder said. "Should he be any problem later on, he'll fall whim to my charm, just like every other man before him." Cinder Fall was the leader of the group, and with good reason. She was far more mature than Emerald and Mercury, and she could assess a situation far better than both of them combined. She was a thing of beauty, a sight no man of any age could resist. Black hair and eyes the color of a burning hot fire, a look from her alone was enough to melt a man's heart. Not only that, but the power she wielded was far more powerful.

While Emerald's semblance allowed her to manipulate with someone's vision, Cinder was able to manipulate with someone's heart. With a hip sway, longing stare, and a seductive whisper, every man became her pawn, a mindless slave set out to do what she pleased, and to hear that such a powerful utility wasn't her semblance was preposterous.

Cinder's signature clothing choice was a single red dress, from the shoulders down to below her waist and above the knees, yellow fabric lining the top and sleeves of her dress, or so people thought. What seems to be yellow fabric actually turns out to be Dust woven into the dress, Fire Dust to be precise. With the Dust woven in, it increased her power greatly as it glows, her manipulation ability stretching out to the environment around her. What was once seen as rubble could be turned into a burning hot projectile at the snap of her fingers. She was the epitome of danger, horny men at the tip of her fingers, along with absolute destruction.

"Are you sure Cinder?" Emerald asked. "You had a pretty close call with Little Red over there at the CCT, and her older sister isn't anything to mess around with either. Remember what she did to Junior's place? That whole team is a disaster for us waiting to happen! We don't need another liability."

"I said don't be silly," Cinder repeated. She repeated her previous statement, but there was audible venom the second time around. "Yes, there were complications regarding the CCT, but she's still none the wiser as to who had done it, otherwise we'd have been compromised by now. Besides, we got what we wanted. As for the brawler, her temper blinds her, something that can be used against her should the time come. The boy is just like any other his age, a walking hormone, desperate to show off his bravado to impress a girl. He'll be no issue."

Emerald was reluctant to let go of the subject, but soon relented and complied. Meanwhile, a rather buff looking faunus student was making a beeline for the nearest Bullhead, scroll in hand, already dialing a number.

…

 _Forever Fall Forest_

 _3 Hours After Bullhead Departure_

Adam Taurus was at his base of operations, deep in the Forever Fall Forest, to the point where you had no hopes of finding it without a set of directions. While the camp was only small enough to accompany about 50 people at a time, 75 if they really tried, he had much more forces scattered throughout all of Remnant, a vast portion of it currently residing in Vale. The partnership he is in was forced and one-sided, but regardless of willingness, Cinder has helped out the White Fang immensely, though he won't admit it. His force size has increased tenfold, and the support he's gained from the faunus community has been bigger since the change in power.

Adam Taurus is the head of the White Fang, a peaceful organization gone violent five years ago when he took power. He thought the previous leader was too soft and unfit to lead the organization, and that they would get nowhere under his rule. He's a Bull Faunus with red hair, and a White Fang mask covering the upper portion of his face. His attire was a black suit with a red dress shirt, a design on his right shoulder portion, and the end of his suit, and a far more elaborate rose design on his back. His weapon is dubbed Wilt & Blush, a red sword, while the sheath was a gun, a rifle to be precise.

However, while Adam had a gun, the sword served a much greater purpose than just slicing, as it went along with his semblance. During combat, Adam is able to use the sword as a shield, and it also absorbs the potential damage that could have been dealt to him. And by absorbs, the sword literally absorbs the kinetic energy, and Adam is able to harness it and throw it back at the attacker, just as strong or stronger than the original attack through accumulating it over time. Although, it had one give-away. Any attack absorbed caused the sword and Adam's hair to glow, and it has the same effect when he readies a strong attack, signifying his enemies to find cover, if any. While Adam was the leader of a terrorist organization, as well as skilled/dangerous, he was surprisingly young, only in his mid-twenties as of right now. And being leader, it certainly added more years to his life in terms of stress, if not age.

He was currently going over his plans regarding Mountain Glenn, when the faunus student from Beacon bursts into the tent.

"Adam!" He exclaimed. "Adam, look at me!"

Under normal circumstances, anyone who referred to him by his first name would've been beaten, but this was different. He, as well as a handful of others, have been loyal to him and stood by his side ever since he took power five years ago, meaning they've survived everything Adam and the world had put them through. These were people he could trust with anything, knowing they'd take the bullet for him if need be. However, now was not the best time to come barging in.

"Dammit Ethan, what is it?" Adam growled. "I'm preparing for our attack, and I don't need any distractions at this moment!"

Ethan was a wolf faunus, as well as an undercover student at Beacon, similar to Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury. However, those three don't know about Ethan's presence, at least, they haven't confronted Adam about it. They may be in a partnership, but that doesn't make him any more trusting of them, they could discard him at any moment, and he hasn't the slightest clue.

"I know, I'm sorry," Ethan said. "But I had to come talk to you about something I saw."

"What, did you stumble across a bypass on the CCT? Because Cinder and her band of misfits already have it," Adam said with a sarcastic tone.

Silently shaking his head, he pulled out his scroll, and placed in on the table Adam was working on, a photo appearing on the screen. His curiosity getting the better of him, Adam looked at the photo, only to be confused and angered.

"You came all the way from Beacon to show me a goddamn photo of a student that goes there?!" Adam accused angrily. He didn't care if Ethan's been with him through thick and thin, he was about ready to cut off his arm for wasting his time.

There was visible fear in Ethan's eyes, but he was still able to speak. "L-Look at the photo closer!" He exclaimed.

Granting him his last wish, Adam examined the photo closer, and he was glad he did, because something struck the person in question as familiar, he just couldn't figure out where though. His moment of thought soon turns to Ethan, hoping/demanding he clarify the context of the photo.

Ethan understood, and elaborated. "Go back a few years, Adam. Back to the Emerald Forest."

Adam was just about ready to demote and slash at him for his cryptic clarification, but then it all clicked.

He lost his grip on Wilt, the color draining from his skin, his hand instinctively reaching for his right eye. That face, it all came back from him, it was the same kid from back in the Emerald forest, the one that single-handedly slaughtered his whole team, save for him and two others, one of them being Ethan.

"No," Adam breathed. "That can't be him, I ran him through, you saw me do it Ethan."

"I know I did," Ethan replied. "That's why I had to show this to you, I needed to make sure I wasn't imagining this. I was hoping you'd talk some sense into me, say I was imagining it. But no, it's him, I had one of ours run his face through Vale's rural database. It's out of date, but the resemblance is uncanny. It all matches up."

Adam's mind flashes back to the Emerald Forest, back to when he stabbed the freak, and left it to writhe and bleed out, taking his small group of survivors and retreating back into the forest. What he didn't hear however, was that the abomination muttered something with its shallow breath as the group made their departure.

" _tHis iS NoT tHe laSt tiMe We sHalL mEet, FaUnuS. i wIlL rEtuRn, bUt oNlY tiMe wiLl telL iF I rEtuRn As aN aLly, oR yoUr wOrsT NigHtmaRe..."_

"-Adam? ADAM!" Ethan exclaimed. Adam snapped out of his paralyzed state, and looked at Ethan dead in the eye.

"He's been hanging out with that damn group of huntresses, the same ones we encountered at the docks, and on the highway. If he's in with them…"

Adam looked back one last time at the photo, then back to Ethan. "Call Cinder and her crew, as well as Roman and his little pet," Adam said. "We need to deal with him as soon as possible. After all this time, God knows how much stronger he's gotten overtime."

Ethan nodded, grabbing the scroll off the table, exiting the photo of Jackson and contacting the others. Meanwhile, Adam had the photo burned into his memories, now unable to forget about him.

"What are you up to, freak?" Adam asked.

…

"I don't get it," Jackson said. "Why is it so important that I have a name for my weapons?"

Currently they were in the library, 30 minutes after Peach's class had finished, giving them the rest of the day to use towards Jackson's weapon names, something he _ABSOLUTELY_ had to do.

"It's a matter of principle!" Ruby exclaimed. She took it the hardest when Jackson said he had no names for his weapons. Hell, she looked like she was about ready to faint when she found out.

"Alright, Terrance and Sebastian. There, can we leave now?"

" **DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU JACKSON!** " Ruby shrieked with crazed eyes, her hands lingering over Crescent Rose.

"Alright alright!" Jackson said, bringing up his hands in self-defense. "Sheesh. Alright, so how does this naming-thing work?"

Blake chimed in, giving Ruby a chance to calm down. "Well, the names you give your weapon usually either alludes to the weapon itself, its wielder, or some sort of trait you or the weapon may possess. For example. Yang's gauntlets are named Ember Celica, the ember portion referring to her fire-like semblance, as well as the capabilities of the weapon itself."

Jackson understood what she was talking about, and he could think of a few names for his revolver, but he felt like something was missing…

Aha!

"I got it!" Jackson exclaimed. "Titán!"

"You mean Titan, right?" Ruby asked.

"No, Titán," Jackson replied. "It's the same word as Titan, except it's pronounced differently because it's in a different language."

"What other language is there?" Ruby asked.

"Back when humanity just started out, they didn't just start out with the English Language. No, they were experimenting with almost everything. Dust, inventions, literacy and communication. One of the very first was Greek. I figured it would add a bit of pizazz to the name. Besides," Jackson pulled out his revolver, and once they took the name into consideration, Team RWBY had to admit, it was one of the largest sidearms they had laid eyes upon.

"It seems fitting," Jackson said.

"Sweet, you've figured out one weapon name, now it's time for the other," Ruby said. "Anything for that?"

Jackson paused, taking a moment to consider what he would do for his bow. It would be more difficult to name that, because it was special. He held that bow closer to his heart than almost everything else. It was all he had left of…

He shook his head, ridding himself of that thought. Regardless of memories, the fact remains that the name had to be as special as the bow.

"That's gonna take more time to figure out," Jackson said. "The bow's more personal than the gun, so more thought needs to be put into it. You guys go, I'll be spending some time here in the library."

The group nodded, and left Jackson to his devices, heading back to their rooms to start on homework. Almost as soon as they left, Jackson began to ruffle through the books, hoping to come across one on ancient mythology. Finally finding one, he set it down, opened it up, and got to reading.

…

Team RWBY was walking through the halls towards their dorm, when Weiss spoke up.

"Well, now that you guys have spent some time with Jackson," Weiss started, "What do you think of him so far?"

Ruby was the first to respond. "He's great!" She said. "Sure, we might've gotten off on the wrong foot, but he's a cool guy. It's even better, because he has an interest in guns too, like me!"

"I agree," Blake continued. "Bad start, that has to be acknowledged, but I'm starting to accept him after finding out he's also an avid reader. I still have some minor concerns about him, but I'm sure that'll disappear over time."

Weiss smiled, happy to know that Ruby and Blake were accepting of him, or getting there. She turned to Yang, who had yet to say anything on the matter.

"Yang?" Weiss asked. "What about you?"

Yang looked at Weiss, who was waiting for a response. "I still don't trust him, let alone like him," Yang replied. "But I'm starting to tolerate him."

Weiss slumped a bit, upset that Yang was still somewhat-resenting of Jackson, but she'll take what she can get. "Well, that's something," Weiss muttered. "Why do you have a grudge against him Yang?"

"He hasn't exactly been the nicest person to me, compared to the rest of you guys," Yang rebutted. "Also, do I have to remind you that HE ALMOST KILLED US, WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A HINT OF REMORSE?"

"Maybe not then Yang," Ruby spoke up. "But it's different now. He's made an effort to be friends with us, he's also had a change of tune around you too Yang."

"Oh yeah, how?" Yang asked.

"In the morning, I saw Jackson looking at you with regret in his eyes. He was probably going to start apologizing to you," Ruby said. "Did he not say anything to you during detention? You had to go there too."

Now that Ruby brought it up, she did remember something in particular about detention. "Actually, he started saying something, but he was interrupted when Cardin walked into detention too," Yang admitted. "After that, I took a nap, which didn't really give him a chance to continue what he wanted to say."

"See?" Ruby asked. "Maybe he was going to start there, he just never got the chance."

"I don't know sis," Yang replied. "That could've gone anywhere, you can't know for sure that he was gonna apologize."

"And you can't know that he was going to do literally anything else, other than apologize," Ruby quickly rebutted. She had her there.

"Alright, point taken," Yang said. "But still, something's not right about him, I can feel it."

Ruby, as well as Weiss, sighed. Forget it, let Jackson deal with it. They had work to do.

…

Jackson had been reading the book for about 30 minutes now, and while he's gained valuable information about the mythology, nothing had stood out to him. The reason he chose the book on mythology was because it was Greek mythology, and he wanted to keep a constant theme for his names, that being Greek.

He was just about ready to give up, but something caught his eye right as he began to close the book. Opening the book again, he found what he saw. A greek god by the name of Apollo. God of multiple things, the sun, poetry, art, and archery. Also one of the most complex apparently. After reading for a while longer, he closed the book, finally deciding on his name. Placing it back where he found it, he walked out of the library, and began making his way to Ozpin's office. Jackson still had to speak with him about Beanie, and what they could do in terms of housing.

He walked through the halls to Ozpin's office, other students roaming about greeting him with waves and warm smiles. Some girls were even fluttering their eyes at him. Soon, the sea of students began to thin out, until there was virtually no one else in the halls, something Jackson was somewhat thankful for.

However, as Jackson continued to walk, his head began to hurt, and while it was nothing but a nuisance at first, it slowly got worse as time passed. Soon, flashes started to go off, images lasting only a millisecond, before disappearing. They were hard to see at first, but the more that kept popping up, he noticed a recurring theme.

Each flash was a memory, a still image of his past. They were happy and fond memories, playing with the animals at the village, helping everyone who needed it, and his most cherished were those of him and Weiss doing activities together, whether it was painting, gardening, or even singing. Weiss had a magnificent voice, even at a young age, Jackson as well, though nowhere near Weiss' capabilities. The memory flashes confused him, but they weren't unwelcomed, for a portion of those memories continue to linger today.

But soon, the memories began to take a turn. The memories began to become more sad, more dark than the ones prior. Happy thoughts turned to low points in his early life, like friends and family passing, and other sad thoughts of that level. Also, they were in a shade of red. The worse the memories, the worse the headache got, and the redder the memories began to flash in.

Jackson tried to shake those thoughts out, but they were planted firmly in his mind. They continued to get worse, going from sadness to anger, from anger to fear, until it reached the point where it was a mixture of all three, the memories being shown like it's through a blood-red lens. The headache became splitting, causing Jackson to grip his head in his hands, the pain bringing him to his knees. During his anguish, he heard a distorted voice.

" _oH jAckSon, wHat An iNnocEnT faCaDe yOu'Re pErfOrmiNg,"_ Walking around the corner, it revealed itself to be the same one from his dream, his demonic doppelganger.

"You," Jackson breathed. "What are you doing here?"

" _i nEveR LefT jaCksOn,"_ The copycat said. _"I'vE aLwaYs BeEn wITh yOu, you'Ve JusT NEveR bEen AwaRe oF IT."_ He walked over to Jackson, and kneeled right in front of him, his face inches from Jackson's own. _"i woUldn'T hAvE mAde mY ApPeaRancE So soOn, bUt ThIs iS eXcItinG, anD I dOn'T waNt tO mIss tHiS."_

He grabbed Jackson's face, and whispered something into his ear. _"SomEthInG's goInG tO hApPen soOn JacKsOn,"_ He said. _"aNd i can'T WAIT To sEe iT! yOu'Re goIng to rEtrIeve soMethIng lOnG lOsT tO yoU, bUt whAt yOu Do AftErwarDs is wHaT I lOok foRwarD to."_ He released his face, and smiled as Jackson continued cradling his head in his hands, his breathing becoming ragged, and breaking out into a sweat.

"Who are you?" Jackson asked.

He only chuckled, as if the question he asked was stupid. _"i'M You jAckSon,"_ He responded. _"i'M eVerY nEgatIvE tHInG yOu'vE evER fElT, ThoUgHt, Or cOmmItTeD. wHat YOu wEre, anD WhaT yOu WIll bE, a MoNsteR."_

" _jAcKsoN? J_ a _C_ ks _o_ n. Jackson!"

A pair of hands grabbed him, and began to shake him. It took a moment, but Jackson eventually snapped out of it. He opened his eyes, and everything was as it was before the headache. No flashes, no red tint, only himself in the hallway, with someone in front of him.

Looking up, he saw a brown blur, but after a moment, his vision cleared up, and it revealed itself to be a girl, a faunus no less, the same one from first period that asked a question about his story. What caught him off guard was how close to his face she was.

Startled, he jumped back, landing on his butt, and startling the faunus as well. It was more out of surprise than anything, but in today's society, the faunus saw it as a fear or hatred for the 'freaks'. Her bunny ears flopped down, and she stood up, beginning to walk away.

"Sorry to have bothered you," She said.

"No wait!" Jackson exclaimed, quickly standing up and chasing after her. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I was just surpr- _woooaahhh no._ "

His pounding headache, as well as standing up quickly, hit him like a bus when he went after the faunus girl. Temporarily going blind, and on the verge of blacking out, his legs gave out from under him, and he flopped right past her, ending up on the floor on his back. The sudden appearance startled the rabbit faunus, as she let out an audible _eep! a_ nd looked down at Jackson once again.

Jackson put up a finger. "Now wait just a berry-picking minute woman." He had yet to recover, so he sounded somewhat drunk. There was a moment's pause, before he spoke up again. "Can you help me up? At this point, I'm not sure I can stand on my own."

The faunus girl chuckled as she reached for his hand. "Sure Jackson," she said. After pulling him up, he wavered a bit, and she held him in place, steadying him out. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Not quite," Jackson responded. "I've got a splitting headache, and I'm now disoriented. I can't even remember where I was going, or how to get back to my dorm, so if you'd be so kind as to help me to my room, I'd greatly appreciate it."

"Of course," she replied. "Where's your dorm?"

"It's right next to Team RWBY's dorm," Jackson responded.

"I know where that is," she said. "I'll get you there in no time."

"Thank you, miss…"

"Scarlatina," she said. "Velvet Scarlatina."

"Velvet," Jackson repeated. "Nice name."

"Thank you," Velvet replied, blushing a little bit.

Both of them walked for a time, Jackson's arm somewhat draped over her shoulder, because Velvet was short, 5' 6" to be exact. After a while, Velvet spoke up.

"I like your pet," Velvet said. "Though you've probably heard that from almost everyone now."

"Yes, but it doesn't mean they're any less nice to hear," Jackson replied.

"Also your story was amazing," Velvet complimented. "Your voice made it like a real performance on stage."

"Thanks Velvet," Jackson said. "Also, I've noticed you have an accent. What is it, australian?"

"Excuse me?" Velvet asked, confused.

' _Oops.'_ "Uh, nothing," Jackson quickly responded. "My mind's still a bit scattered from the fall."

"Oh." Velvet discarded the question, accepting his answer.

"Hey Velvet," Jackson started. "I want to apologize for earlier. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I just didn't expect you to be so close when I came to."

"It's fine Jackson," she replied. "Being who I am, I'm used to that sort of thing."

"What's bad about it is that you shouldn't," Jackson pressed. "How can someone treat you badly for an extra pair of ears? If you didn't have those ears, you'd still be the same person you are now, wouldn't you?"

Velvet silently nodded, not attempting to dissuade him.

"Exactly!" He exclaimed. "You're a nice girl Velvet, with or without the animal traits. You don't have to pummel everyone who treats you badly, but you can't let them push you around. Obviously you have some superb fighting skills, otherwise you wouldn't be here. The very least you can do is use them to defend yourself. And don't worry, I'll have your back when you need me to, it's the least I can do for you helping me out back there, I was a wreck."

Velvet smiled at his words of encouragement and kindness. "Thank you Jackson, I appreciate it."

"Don't worry about it," Jackson said. "Just returning the favor."

"Well, we're here," Velvet said. Sure enough, when he looked forward, he saw his hallway, Team RWBY's door slightly ajar, the team conversing inside.

"Thank you for your help Velvet," he said. He took his arm off of her, and was able to walk with relative ease. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye," she said. With that, she left, taking a turn down the hall and out of sight.

Turning back, Jackson began to make his way toward his dorm to pick up his bow, then walked over to RWBY's dorm, just out of curiosity to see what they were up to. Popping his head in, he saw that most of the group was working on assignments, while Ruby was inspecting Khvostov, carefully observing every component it had.

"Hey guys," Jackson called out. Team RWBY looked up from what they were doing, and they all greeted him with an audible greeting or the simple wave of a hand, Yang going back to her assignment immediately after.

"Hi Jackson," Weiss said. "How'd your little library crusade go?"

"Actually," Jackson said, "I found just what I was looking for."

"That's great," Weiss acknowledged. "What's your bow's name?"

Fully walking into the dorm, Jackson pulled his bow out from behind him to show to them. "Everyone, say hello to Apóllon."

"Ooooohhhh." Ruby eyed the bow up and down like it was a giant cookie. "What does the name mean?"

"It's greek for Apollo," Blake said.

"What's that?" Ruby asked.

"Greek god?" Blake clarified.

Ruby shook her head.

"Twin brother of Artemis?"

Nothing.

"Let me take over," Jackson said. "And nice job Blake."

"Pleasure," she responded.

"But yes, Apollo is a Greek god from ancient mythology," Jackson stated. "He was also one of the most complex gods as well. He was affiliated with many things, poetry, music, art, etc.

"But the two things that stick out to me the most is that he's the god of the sun, and affiliated with archery. The archery part is obvious, but the sun part holds a more personal meaning to me."

"And that is?" Ruby pressed.

"Well," Jackson started. "When I was young, my dad was more than just a father. In my eyes, he was the very definition of a man, he was a practically a god to me. He was my hero, my iconic figure, my rock and my shoulder to cry on. He would lead a team out into the forest to hunt elk and other big game, something that would last the whole day, sometimes even longer. But before he left, he would always come to me, and we'd do our traditional father-son departure:

 _'Our time for now is done,'_

 _'But I will be the sun.'_

"That told me he would come back, no matter how long it took, just like the sun, something that always returns. I figured the name was fitting, since this was the bow he used when he went hunting."

"Awwwww!" Ruby cooed. "That's so sweet!"

"Yeah," Jackson acknowledged. "The saying means a lot to me, so Apóllon was the only choice I could go with."

"What's your dad's name?" Blake asked.

"His name was Michael Wesson." As soon as those words left his mouth, he immediately shut it tight, terrified of what he said, and waited to see their reaction. Thankfully, no one noticed the _'was'_ portion of what he said, and they all nodded.

"Michael sounds like a great guy," Ruby complimented. "Hopefully we'll get to see him someday."

"Yeah," Jackson breathed. "Someday." His eyes wandered over to the open space in the middle of the room, and what he saw standing there shocked and horrified him.

His dark doppelganger stood in the middle of the room, standing right next to Weiss, his red eyes glowing in the dark and his razor sharp smile indicating evil intentions. As soon as he saw him, a searing pain blew up in his stomach. The surprise agony brought to him to his knees with an audible _thump,_ as he keeled over and held his stomach, his bow clattering to a stop at his side.

Weiss, Ruby, and Blake were to his side in a moment's notice, confused and worried.

"Jackson?" Weiss said, fear evident in her voice. "What's happening?"

The pain was slowly getting worse, the muscles in his abdomen constricting and tightening. But he didn't want to show it, so he took a deep breath, and stood up.

"N-Nothing," Jackson said. "It's probably just something I ate. I'll hop into the shower, sleep it off, and I'll be all better by the time morning rolls around."

"Don't lie to me Jackson," Weiss accused. "If something's wrong with you, you need to-"

"Weiss, trust me," Jackson pressed. "I'll be fine. It was probably a bad apple, some kind of indigestion, that's all. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Without uttering another word, Jackson picked up his bow and went to his own room, leaving a confused Ruby, Blake, and a concerned Weiss.

…

Jackson burst into his dorm, tossing the bow onto his bed and clutching his stomach. Rushing into the bathroom, he immediately began to undress as he turned on the shower, allowing it to warm up before he jumped in. Once he took off his shirt, when he looked down at his body, what he saw terrified him.

One of his scars was a sick black, and began to branch out throughout his abdomen, and his vision began to darken around the edges, his peripherals shrouded in darkness. Taking off his shoes and socks, not even bothering to take off his pants and underwear, he immediately got into the shower.

The hot water shocked his body at first, but after a moment, he began to relax, his muscles relaxing and unwinding as the hot water took out the knots in his body. Looking back down at his body, it was completely normal, as if the black plague thing was never there, and his vision returned to normal. He began to think that his mind made up the scary sight as he now had time to collect his thoughts. He let out a long breath, letting the stress of today wash away with the water.

He prayed that was only a one-time thing, but with his luck, he wouldn't bet on it.

' _What's happening to me?'_

' _wHaT You'Ve aLwayS wAnTEd JacKsON, yOu'Re bEgInNing tO rEmeMBeR.'_

…

 _Vale: Abandoned Warehouse_

 _7:45 pm_

Cinder, Mercury and Emerald arrived at the designated location, the warehouse where Roman had placed all the Dust he stolen, as well as Atlas mechs. When they walked in, they were surprised to find Roman Torchwick and his associate, Neo Politan, inside. They must have received the message as well.

Roman was the first to break the silence. "What a surprise!" He said in a mock tone. "The whole gang is getting back together! All that's left is the damn Bull faunus. Speaking of, where the hell is he? He sent the message, I'd expect him to act as a lovely host and greet his guests at the doorway."

"He's standing right behind you," Adam replied.

"Ah, there you are, man of the hour!" Roman said. "Now, if you would be so kind as to explain why you've rounded us up, rather than _'Come here immediately, we need to talk about something important. And don't think I won't hunt you down if you don't show up,'_ I'd greatly appreciate it. I also want to know the reason why I bailed out on securing a shipment of ATLESIAN MECH UNITS!"

Adam immediately placed his hand on Wilt, ready to draw it out and slice Roman in two. "Don't you dare speak to me like that, Torchprick," Adam threatened.

"Oh please," Roman replied, aiming his cane at Adam, a small sight popping up at the end. "Don't make me laugh. Andale toro, andale!"

"ENOUGH!" Cinder exclaimed. "Roman, put your cane away now! And Adam, while Roman has a crude way of expressing it, he has a point. Why did you pull us out of our missions that was so important for you to tell us something?" There was venom dripping in her voice, as she was just as upset for being brought here as Roman was.

Adam's hand lingered over his sword for a moment longer, before he sighed and relented. "Something's come up at Beacon," he said. "And if I'm right, it could put Cinder, as well as our plan in great danger. Ethan!" From seemingly out of nowhere, Ethan had come into the group, tossing a small cube at the floor in the middle of them all, which projected the image he had shown Adam before.

Mercury immediately recognized the photo. "Hey, that's the kid I shouldered out of the way off this afternoon," he called out. "He's been hanging out with that group of huntresses, the one with your ex-second in command."

Adam was infuriated to know that what Ethan said sadly came out to be true. "Dammit!" He exclaimed. "What else do you know about him so far?"

This time Emerald spoke up. "He's got a pet Grimm," she said. "An Alpha Beowolf. It was a hell of a sight to see."

"So he has gotten stronger," Adam whispered. "What else is he capable of?"

"Hey pal," Roman said, grabbing Adam's attention. "You still haven't given us an explanation as to why he's so important and dangerous. You've done nothing but whisper to yourself in a corner like a madman."

Adam straightened himself up, and looked at each and every one of them, Ethan included. "According to Ethan, his name is Jackson Smith Wesson, and right now, he has the capability to destroy our plans, and each and every one of us."

"Oh Adam," Cinder said. "And here I thought you had faith in my abilities. He has no clue who we are, and he shall be no issue should he get in the way."

Adam stared her dead in the eyes, no sign of emotion anywhere in them. "This isn't about your powers Cinder, that kid will be able to turn the tables against you if he catches wind of what you're doing.

"Three years ago, he single-handedly slaughtered my men, leaving only me and two others to escape with our lives, Ethan being one of them. I managed to run it through, but it somehow survived. I put almost everything I had into the fight before that, and he was going strong. The impalement is what put it out of commission, but as of now, that still wasn't enough."

"I'm quite different from you and your men," Cinder countered. "My newfound abilities will surely take care of him should he-"

"He literally tore apart 50 men!" Adam shouted. "To me, he didn't seem to even so much as break a fucking sweat by the time it was my turn to go up against him! I took some of my finest men with me, and he ripped through them like wet paper! Listen to me Cinder, whatever you think you can do, whatever capabilities you think he has, you are miserably wrong, and you will be severely underprepared should the time come when you face him. He's had three years since then, and aside from his pet, we don't know what else he's capable of.

"You don't leave anything to chance. Every move you make, everything you say and do is calculated down to the letter. Jackson is unpredictable, there's almost nothing on him since then. He needs to be taken care of, _now."_

Cinder was aghast at Adam's words, and felt a burning fury inside after telling her she is not prepared in any way, shape, or form for him. She was just about to burn him to a crisp, but the longer she looked at him, the more the flame died out. This wasn't disregard for her skills, or lack of faith, it was pure and genuine concern, maybe even fear. While she still thought Adam was overreacting, it still set off alarms in her head, because if he was right…

"Roman," Cinder said. "I want you to obtain a case of Atlas Military-Grade weaponry, as well as Dust rounds." She turned to Adam. "Adam, I want you to take your best man, whoever it may be, I don't care, and train them to use a rifle, much more effectively than they do now. I want him or her to be able to shoot an apple off someone's head from a mile away. As for us, we won't be able to do much in terms of action, but we can observe him from a distance, sometimes up-close, and determine for ourselves if what you claim is true, Adam."

"Regardless of what I say, he still very well may be another liability if he is conversing with the girls."

Cinder nodded. "We all have our assignments now, I expect you all to complete them quickly and cleanly. Get it done." With that, the group dispersed, going back to their original duties, with one more side errand to accomplish.

"Do you think what Adam said about that Jackson guy is true?" Emerald asked.

"Please," Mercury replied. "Did you hear the shit that came out of his mouth? Plus, it was three years ago. For all we know, Adam could be going insane and start to be imagining things, making him out for someone who's long dead."

"Quiet, both of you," Cinder hissed. "What's done is done, the decision has already been made. Only time will tell if he truly is a force to be reckoned with. Now come along, we need to get back to Beacon before we arouse any suspicion."

…

 _Beacon Academy_

 _9:30 pm_

The ordeal with Jackson had shaken up a majority of Team RWBY, and while he claims to be fine, they still felt a bit uneasy about Jackson's well being. Weiss was the most worried of the three, her mind going into overdrive as to what could've happened. The rational thoughts were the first to go, because there were only so few of them, and the irrational thoughts came piling in.

Because of it, Weiss was unable to get any sleep until late into the night, when she was far too tired to even think properly. Eventually, she fell asleep, while Jackson was having bed troubles of his own.

His mind was also in overdrive as to what occurred, but his thoughts were still going strong, since so much had happened, and little to none of it was understood by him. The headaches, the flashes, the abdominal pain, it all happened so quick and all at once that he couldn't stick to any single one long enough to properly comprehend it, nor figure out why it happened. He eventually gave up on it altogether and tried to get some sleep for tomorrow's classes. He still thought about it afterwards, but he was able to rid his mind of them soon enough, and he slowly fell into a slumber.

' _SlEep tIgHt jAckSoN, It'S gOnnA bE THe lAsT fULl One yOu HAvE in A WhIle.'_

…

AN: **And that's the chapter! Firstly, if any of you got the Markiplier reference I put in there, you are awesome! Secondly, I want to apologize for how short this chapter is compared to my other ones, but this nicely sets things up for Chapter 10, as well as the rest of the story. To make it any longer would make the chapter feel weird and out-of-place, as well as have an extra 3-5 thousand words of worthless filler. I have something special planned for #10, so bear with me. Follow, Favorite, Review, all that good stuff, and I will see you all next time, in a very special chapter!**


	10. Truth Be Told: Part 1

AN: **HAHA** **, UNEXPECTED UPLOAD! Welcome back to a special chapter of Dead Man Walking! Ten chapters! Holy shit I never thought I'd have the drive to get this far to be honest, but here we are! Shoutout to vipersrt459 for following/favoriting the story, good to have you aboard. Let's begin!**

…

Weeks have passed since Jackson's flash attack, and while they have decreased in severity, occurrences have exploded. Almost everyday since then, he would have memory flashes, which would result in headaches and dizziness. Anytime the memories popped back up, the same ones he's been trying to repress for the last three years, his doppelganger was always nearby to make an appearance, whether from afar, or within striking distance. He never stuck around for long, only long enough to flash his signature smile and disappear a moment later, without a trace.

He's also been having nightmares as well. While it didn't affect his sleeping schedule much, he would now wake up at 4:45 in the morning instead of 6:00 or 6:30. While it did nothing at first, it did begin to have a small hindrance on his abilities overtime. It wasn't physically visible to the others in any way, but his reflexes have gotten slower, and his focus has somewhat glossed over.

Combine the flashes, headaches, appearances, and lesser amount of sleep, it's affected his classwork and assignments. He forgets a fair portion of what he heard in class, he can't focus on any one assignment long enough to complete it in one sitting. In Combat Class, he now struggles greatly with taking down his opponent, due to headaches and his doppelganger taunting him from the rows of seats. In one instance, he had gone up against Jaune, and while he was still able to defeat him, there were multiple times where Jaune had broke through his defense and attacked him, bringing his Aura down to the yellow at the end of the match.

While there weren't bags under his eyes, Teams RWBY and JNPR had definitely noticed his poor performance in the ring, and in class. Anytime they brought up the subject, Jackson would shrug it off, claiming he'd be fine, saying that assignments had started to keep him up a little later than he expected. He hasn't fallen behind in his classes. Yet. His actions have JNPR and RWB worried, but out of all of them, Weiss was the most worried, now beginning to get hysterical. She's tried hard to have Jackson let her help him, but she's been getting the same treatment as the others, shrug of the shoulder and empty promises. One thing that was going through everyone's mind: What's happening with him?

Well, they were about to find out.

…

 _Jackson's Dorm_

 _6:45 am_

Jackson awoke to the sound of his alarm on his scroll going off. Opening his eyes, he sat up in his bed, turning his head to the scroll, an emotionless stare throughout the whole endeavor.

The night before, Jackson had finished all his assignments for his class and got ready for bed. It was only 8:45 pm, but he didn't care. He got into his bed, and immediately passed out, and had no dreams, the first in weeks, almost nothing of his prior symptoms had occurred. No headaches, no flashes, no doppelganger, only himself and nothing else. He was able to get a full 10 hours of sleep, but it didn't seem to do any good for Jackson. If anything, he looked even more lifeless today than he did in the weeks prior. Picking up his scroll, he looked at the screen, the alarm blaring the entire time:

 _6:45 am_

 _Thursday, March 25th_

Jackson had stared at the screen for five minutes before he finally disabled the alarm, and began to get ready for school. Changing into his uniform and gathering his school supplies, nothing could be heard from him, only the ruffling of fabric and the sound of flopping paper. Once he was finished, he walked out into the hall, and headed straight for the Mess Hall.

…

Team RWBY was also readying themselves for today's classes, when they heard Jackson's door open and close. They all expected him to knock on their door and greet them, like he always did the days before. He may have been struggling with flashes, but he never showed it, and always waited for them to get ready so they can walk together. However, the knock never came, and the lack of it had confused/upset them.

"What's going on with Jackson?" Ruby asked. "This whole month he hasn't been as happy and perky as he usually is. He's been kind of, distant, but he'd always wait for us in the morning. Something's wrong."

"We all know that by now," Weiss remarked, "The problem's that he won't let us help him. He always shrugs us off anytime we bring it up. He just wants things to be normal, he doesn't want us to worry over him… or he's hiding something." Weiss hoped it was that he didn't want whatever was happening to worry them, but deep down, she knew it was more than that. Jackson was keeping something from them, something he didn't want anyone to know. The question was, what?

"That's it," Ruby declared. "We need to get him to tell us what's happening, even if it means locking him up in a room with us. Obviously something's eating away at him, we've all seen how he's been lately. We can't leave him like this." The team silently nodded their heads in agreement, Yang only a slight incline, rather than any genuine concern for him. All of them agreeing on one motive, they made last-minute adjustments to their uniforms, and headed out, determined to find the truth.

Walking into the Mess Hall, they searched the room for Jackson, and sure enough, they found him with a bowl of cereal sitting alone at a table. Spotting their point of interest, they made a beeline for his table. Once there, they all sat down, and stared at him expectantly. However, he didn't bother looking up at any of them, he just continued staring down at the table, eating his cereal.

Eventually, Ruby decided to break the silence with a cough. "Um, Jackson?" She asked. Without moving his body, he looked up at Ruby for a few seconds, before looking back down.

Ruby took this as her cue. "Jackson, we know something's happening with you, and we want to know what it is. You space out at random times everyday, you struggle in a fight in Glynda's class, and you're constantly shrugging us off anytime we try to help. Please, we want to help you, but you won't let us."

Jackson registered their speaking, but it was in one ear, and out the other. He did nothing, visibly upsetting Ruby. Yang noticed this, and this is where she stepped in.

Yang slammed her fist on the table, shaking Jackson's bowl, resulting in a small amount of milk and oats to spill. "Hey, she asked you something," she said in a stern voice. Still nothing.

This only pissed her off even more, her eyes turning red and her hair beginning to become alight. "Hey, we're talking to you Jackson!" Jackson merely scooped up a spoonful of his cereal and ate it, like they aren't even there. That did it.

Slamming both her fists on the table, Yang spilled the entire bowl of cereal, its contents spilling all over Jackson's uniform, and that fully registered. It also resulted in making a scene, something the nearby tables noticed, and now they began to spectate, along with Team RWBY.

"Alright, listen up asshole!" Yang exclaimed. "We're trying to help you out here, but you've been ignoring us this whole time! You can at least tell us to leave you alone instead of staying quiet and wasting our-"

Jackson slowly stood up to his full height, straight and stern, and made something very clear. Yang was only 5'8", which meant Jackson had seven inches on her. To make it worse, Jackson stared at her with intensity equivalent to that of the sun. Those golden orbs he possessed became black holes, sucking any and all life from anyone who looked at him in the eye, yet still void of any such thing, Yang being their unfortunate first victim. In the blink of an eye, Titán was pulled out, and it was aimed directly at the center of her forehead, his extended arm closing the gap across the table, the barrel planted firmly on his head. To add to it, he pulled the hammer back, essentially loading the weapon, and now putting Yang's life at risk. Yang couldn't see it, but everyone else could. Jackson had his finger pressed on the trigger, not enough to fire, but enough to instill fear in the crowd, thinking they might just witness a murder unfold in front of them, and certainly enough to fire off a round at the slightest finger twitch.

Yang's flame was immediately snuffed out, her red eyes disappearing and now replaced with her original lilac eyes. Any rage she felt immediately dissipated, and in its place came fear, coming in waves. Something came to her in crystal clarity, and she realized the horrifying truth.

Most fights she got in were hand-to-hand combat, and when there were guns involved, they were always from a distance. She could easily take care of herself in a fistfight, and with sharp weapons. Not only that, but if she's in over her head, her semblance gives her the edge, especially with blunt weapons. Any time she's dealt a blow, her semblance can take that energy, and use it to power her up. The greater the blow, the greater the power boost.

But this was different. There was no blunt weapon, no fistfight, only her, and Jackson's revolver pressed against her head. Because he's closed the gap, the caliber size, and placement, Yang stands no chance at surviving this, even with her Aura at full blast. Even if she were to bring her Aura up, Jackson would most likely blow her head off before she's reached her full capacity. There was no way out of this, all she could do is pray.

Seconds felt like hours, as nothing moved, too scared to, or too engulfed in what's happening. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jackson finally made his decision. Putting more pressure, he pulled the trigger.

 _*click*_

The sound made everyone jump, one girl even let out a small yelp as it happened. Yang let out a shaky breath, realizing she had held her breath the whole time. Jackson took his revolver off her head, and placed it back in his holster. Once he did, Yang's posture practically fell apart, falling back to the seat as her legs gave out. Now that she was taken care of, Jackson decided to grant Yang her wish.

"Leave. Me. _**Alone.**_ "

As soon as he said that, he spotted JNPR among the crowd watching the event unfold. "That goes for you too JNPR," he said. With that, he picked up his bowl and spoon, and left, an eerie silence hanging over the crowd. Soon however, the crowd began to disperse, leaving only JNPR and a shaken RWBY. JNPR immediately gathered around RWBY, more importantly Yang, to see how they were.

"What the hell happened?" Jaune asked.

"We don't know," Ruby said. "We tried to figure out what's wrong with Jackson, and the next thing we know, Yang's held at gunpoint, and scared the hell out of us!"

"Weiss, what's happening?" Blake demanded, venom visible in her voice.

"You think I have any goddamn clue what happened?!" Weiss asked. "I'm trying to look for the same answers you guys are!"

"Well this sudden change didn't just happen overnight!" Blake exclaimed.

Jackson heard RWBY and JNPR bicker amongst themselves, but he paid no mind to it, he was too busy putting back the other four bullets back into the cylinder on his revolver.

' _Yang got fucking lucky,'_ Jackson thought. During Yang's rant, Jackson had unloaded his weapon, leaving only one bullet in the chamber. He used the crunch of eating oats to disguise the spinning of the cylinder. Drying himself off with some napkins, he exited the Mess Hall, wandering the halls until class starts.

…

 _11:50 am_

 _After Oobleck's History Class_

Jackson walked out of Oobleck's class the same state he walked in, emotionless.

For his first two classes, Jackson had taken a seat in the far corner of the classroom, RWBY almost on the exact opposite side of the room from him. Yang had somewhat recovered from her 'incident' in the morning, but not much. She was fucking furious at Jackson for what he pulled in the Mess Hall, but something kept her from tearing him from limb to limb. During their walks to classes, Yang had perfect opportunities to catch him off guard and end him, but aside from her team, she would hesitate from doing so, and completely abandon it soon after.

After thinking, she realized it was her dance with death that caused her hesitation. The only other time she's been in a situation that spelled certain doom for her, she was only a child, running from home in search of her mother. She had made it to an old run-down shack, but was then surrounded by beowolves, with young Ruby in a little red wagon behind her. If it wasn't for their uncle coming in the nick of time, neither Ruby or her would be standing here right now to tell the tale.

Back then, she didn't know just how badly she would've been screwed, but now that she's older and has experience, such events now stick with her, instead of just a fleeting moment of fear, come-and-go. Jackson had put her life on the line, and had almost lost it. She was just… lost. There was the nagging fear that if she went after him again, maybe he wouldn't be so forgiving the next time around.

Returning to the Mess Hall, they found Jackson now in the far corner of the cafeteria, away from everyone, with everyone knowing to avoid him after what happened this morning. RWBY and JNPR had conspired during breakfast, trying to determine what could've done this to Jackson. Family passing, family issues, was it something they did? The lack of answers had frustrated them, and the direct route was cut off. They wanted answers, and they were going to get them, if not through Jackson, then some other way. Exiting the cafeteria, they began to make their way to Ozpin's office.

Jackson placed himself away from the crowd, away from his friends. He wanted none of it from the crowd, from RWBY and JNPR, and especially from Yang. However, his displacement didn't seem to be enough to keep people their distance.

Team CRDL has waltzed over to his current position, spreading out to prevent any kind of escape, with Cardin taking the center.

"Hey there Jackie," Cardin mocked. "What happened this morning buddy?"

"The same thing that's about to happen right now if you don't leave," Jackson replied in a cold tone. "Only this time, you won't get off as easy as her."

The whole team laughed, like he told a funny joke.

"I don't think so pal," Cardin said. "Last time I checked, it's four against one." He placed both his hands on the table in front of him. "Listen up-"

Cardin only got as far as that, before Jackson had produced Titán and stabbed Cardin's right hand, sticking it to the table, all within one second.

Cardin screamed out in pain at the sudden attack. Meanwhile, the rest of CRDL was caught off guard at the brutal attack Jackson pulled off.

Jackson had immediately stood up and slammed Cardin's head down on the table, and repeated the process two more times. When he finished, he looked over at his lackeys, and the fear was evident in their eyes, his cold dead stare pushing them over the edge. All three of them scattered, in fear of ending up like Cardin.

Once they dispersed, Jackson bent over to check on Cardin. "Hey Cardin," he said. "You still alive?"

In response, Jackson got a raspy breath and a small whimper, which was good enough for him. He grabbed his head by the hair, and jerked him up, so they can look at each other in the eye.

Cardin was, again, bleeding from his nose, as well as having tears well up in his eyes from the pain in his hand.

"Listen to me very, _very_ carefully," Jackson whispered to him. "You and your team don't scare me. You're nothing but a big man, all bark and no bite, while your friends are nothing but a bunch of pussies. Once they see their leader go down, it's suddenly every man for himself. Did you see how quickly they abandoned you once I put you down? _Pathetic._

"I'm giving you another shot at redemption, Winchester. But if you so much as inconvenience a faunus, or another human being for that matter, I will castrate you myself, with my knife, the same one that currently pins your hand to this table. Do, I, make, myself, _clear?_ "

Cardin nodded his head furiously, just wanting to end this. Jackson nodded, glad he understood the message. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Jackson slammed Cardin's head back down on the table, knocking him out. Pulling his knife from Cardin's hand, his body slid off and fell to the floor. Walking around the table, he stood over Cardin's unconscious body, and kneeled down. Grabbing his injured hand, he activated his semblance, and healed his hand in a matter of seconds, and proceeded to do the same with his nose. Looking across the Mess Hall, he found the remainder of Team CRDL soon afterwards, and called them out.

"Hey pussies!" He called out. "Come get your leader!" Without uttering another word, he walked out of the Mess Hall, heading to the locker room to prepare for Glynda's class.

…

 _Ozpin's Office_

Glynda paced around his office, furious at Jackson for what happened during lunch.

"He's had too many chances!" She exclaimed. "He won't be allowed another excuse this time. Once I set my eyes on him, he will be expelled before he has ANY clue what just-"

"Hold on Glynda," Ozpin said. "Let's not expel him just yet, Cardin seems to be fine."

"That boy has broken his nose more times than I can count, as well as pin him to the table by the hand with his knife!" She exclaimed.

"The nose thing I can't deny," Ozpin admitted. "But most of that occurs during Combat Class, and when Cardin's team brought him to the infirmary, the nurses had nothing to report. There was only a faint scar on his hand, and his nose seemed to be just fine."

"I have more than two dozen witnesses that say otherwise," Glynda rebutted. "Honestly Ozpin, what do you owe this child? You've treated him like he's your own son, especially during something like this."

Ozpin sighed. He knew Glynda would continue to ask questions about Jackson, and she would get an answer sooner or later, one way or another. Better sooner, and better she be told by him.

"Glynda, what's today?" He asked.

She was confused by the question. "It's Thursday," she responded.

"Allow me to clarify, what's today's date?" Ozpin asked again.

"March 25th."

"Except it's not just that," Ozpin said. "To Jackson, this isn't just another date on a calendar." He motioned to a seat across his desk. "Please, take a seat."

Glynda complied, still confused, but interested as to where this was going.

"Thank you, now I can tell you the truth about Jackson…"

…

Teams RWBY and JNPR were in the elevator up to Ozpin's office. When they arrived to the top, the doors opened, both teams going out, and Ms. Goodwitch walking past them without a sound, and hurried into the elevator, going back down soon after she entered. Neither team paid mind to it, and focused on what was ahead: Ozpin.

Ozpin noticed them, and while he smiled on the smiled on the outside, inside, he was surprised they would barge into his office without warning. They were certainly a first in his time as a Headmaster. No team had the audacity to just waltz into his office.

' _I'm starting to have some regrets about these kids,'_ Ozpin jokingly thought. "Hello kids," he greeted them. "What brought you to my office?"

"It's about Jackson," Ruby responded.

' _Of course.'_ "Ah yes, Jackson. I just spoke to Ms. Goodwitch about him. What would you like to know?"

It was Weiss who answered his question. "Something's wrong with Jackson, and we can't figure out why. Has he spoken to you about anything?"

"No," Ozpin replied. "He hasn't contacted me at all. In fact, according to Port, he was supposed to speak with me about housing arrangements for his companion, but that was weeks ago. He never arrived."

"Wait, so this might've started since the beginning since the beginning of March?!" Weiss accused.

Ozpin merely shrugged. "Possibly, I've no clue."

"Regardless," Blake continued, "Jackson has changed completely today, drastically compared to the weeks before. He held Yang at gunpoint this morning!"

"And he attacked Cardin during lunch rather brutally, according to students and Mr. Winchester's team members."

"Wait what?!" Both teams shouted in unison.

"It's true," Ozpin said. "According to witnesses, Jackson had stabbed Cardin's hand to the table, and bashed his head repeatedly onto the top, until rendered unconscious."

RWBY and JNPR were horrified to hear that, more so hearing it was Jackson who had done it.

"However," Ozpin continued, "When his team brought him into the infirmary, the nurses couldn't find any injury on him. His right hand and his nose were where the students saw Jackson strike him, but nothing was out of place, other than a faint scar in the palm of his right hand." Both teams breathed out a sigh of relief, but Yang was having none of it.

"It's that damn semblance of his!" Yang exclaimed. "He fixed up his injuries beforehand! That way, they don't have anything to report him on!"

"But outside this room, no one else knows that," Ozpin rebutted. "For all they know, Jackson could've been checking Cardin's pulse to make sure he was still alive, and didn't actually see them heal his injuries."

"But if you know about it, how come he hasn't been punished yet?" Yang asked.

"It's like you said, Ms. Xiao Long," Ozpin said. "There was nothing to report on Cardin's supposed injuries. How can I punish a student without viable evidence?

"Plus, there's more to it," Ozpin added. " Jackson hasn't been acting normally, because there's something about today that's been… affecting him."

"Wait, you know what's wrong with Jackson?" Ruby asked, suddenly focused on what Ozpin was saying.

"Not what's wrong with him, per se, but I do know a potential reason for it." Ozpin was being careful with his words, because he knew exactly what was happening with him. After speaking with Glynda, he sent her to find Jackson and address what's occurred today. He could tell them everything about what's been happening with him, but he's in no position to disclose any such information. He would leave it to Jackson to determine what he wants to be known.

"Well, what is it?" Ruby pressed.

"I can't say Ms. Rose, it's not my information to give," Ozpin replied.

"Ozpin, please," Ruby begged. "All we want to do is try and help him, but he's been shutting us out all day. We can't even so much as talk to him without risking another gunpoint scenario! Please Ozpin, you've got to help us."

Ozpin knew they wouldn't budge on this subject, and if they wouldn't get it through him, they'll get it some other way, their past actions prove it.

"*sigh*, I can't give you the exact truth as to what's occurred." Ruby was about to protest further, but Ozpin spoke again before she had the chance. "However, there is something that might shed some light on your little mystery…"

…

After hearing what Ozpin had to say, Teams RWBY and JNPR were in all different states of emotion: revelation, confusion, and fury.

"That's it?!" Yang screamed, her hair alight. "He held a gun to my face for something as stupid as that?!"

"Yang, you go outright crazy when a strand of your hair is pushed out of place," Blake deadpanned.

"THAT'S DIFFERENT!"

"GUYS!" Ruby shrieked, catching all their attention, even Ozpin's who was watching them bicker.

"We get it, Jackson may have overreacted, but now that we know what's happening, we can still fix things."

"Fix things?!" Yang questioned. "You still want to help him after what happened with me and Cardin?!"

"HAIR, YANG!" Ruby accused her. That kept Yang quiet for the time being.

"He's still our friend," Ruby continued. "We stick with each other through thick and thin, just like with Blake during our first few weeks at Beacon. He must be feeling homesick or something, otherwise he wouldn't act like this. Weiss, you've known him for half your life, how come you didn't tell us? Weiss?"

Ruby turned to her sides looking for Weiss, but she didn't see her. Suddenly, she heard rapid footsteps from behind her. Turning around, she saw Weiss sprinting towards the elevator.

"Weiss, wait!" Ruby said, running after her. By the time she had reached the elevator, the doors had already closed, Ruby slamming her hands on the blocked entry.

"Weiss! Dammit!" She turned to the others. "Well, it looks like Weiss won't be helping us. It doesn't matter, I've got a plan to make things right. Alright, everyone listen up…"

…

 _Combat Class Locker Room_

Jackson had changed into his usual attire in preparation for Glynda's class. He had a prearranged sparring match with another student, and he just finished loading Titán for the match, when Glynda had walked into the locker room.

He was expecting the usual strict and cold teacher he's grown used to, but this was different. Instead of her military-like posture and appearance, she seemed more relaxed, and her face was more soft than it usually is.

"Jackson?" Her voice was more soft than usual.

"Yes Ms. Goodwitch?" Jackson asked, an emotionless and robotic tone as he spoke. "What seems to be the problem? Has the match been cancelled?"

"Yes," she responded. "Ozpin told me about your past, and why you've acted the way you have today," There was a pause before she continued speaking. "It was in Ozpin's, and my own best interest, that you take the rest of the day off, and allow you to collect yourself, and have some time to… think about things."

After hearing that, Jackson had relaxed, his actions didn't seem as robotic as they were just a few moments ago. "I appreciate it, Ms. Goodwitch. I'll go do that." He began to make his way for the door, and he was about to exit, when Glynda had spoken up one last time.

"Jackson?"

He turned his head toward her. "Yes, Ms. Goodwitch?"  
"… I'm sorry about what happened. You have my most sincere condolences."

A small smile appeared on his face, the first one all day. "Thank you Ms. Goodwitch." He pushed on the door and made his way into the hallway. Because he had the rest of the day off, he could finally go where he needed to, and pay a visit.

…

 _Emerald Forest_

 _1 Hour 30 Minutes After Departure_

Clouds began to roll in over the sky, turning the once-bright day, into a grey heap. Light rain began to fall down, but the tall trees caught the majority of the rainfall. At the moment, it didn't seem that Jackson had a specific destination in mind, but he knew exactly where he was going.

Jackson had gone North, far North, farther than any student or teacher has reason to go. At this point, his legs should be falling off, but nothing registers in his head, all that's there is the destination. Jackson gets close to his destination, but before he arrives, he comes across an obstacle.

20 feet in front of him, was a pack of Beowolves, fighting over an elk carcass they caught. Jackson cuts the distance in half before the Beowolves notice his presence. All of them immediately go into an attack-ready stance, growling loudly at him, two seconds from tearing him limb from limb. But something weird occurs.

All the Beowolves are ready to attack, but when scanning the area, they find nothing to attack. Their eyes are trained on Jackson, but something's keeping them from jumping on him. All types of Grimm are made to focus in on negative emotion, whether from nearby, or far away, if it's concentrated enough, or whatever poses as an immediate threat. That's what made them so dangerous, while you could hide emotions physically from appearing from the surface, you have no way from fully shutting them out, and you could still be detected. That, or the smell of rotting flesh or blood. When Jackson came into their field of view, he showed no traits of any such thing. He had no positive, nor negative emotion emitting from him, his mind completely switched off, and muscle memory taking over. In most cases, this means the corpse is dead if no emotion is emitted, and it lets off some sort of odor. However, because Jackson was still living, no such odor was being emitted. He was virtually invisible on their radar, since he didn't meet any of the Grimm's provocative criteria. He was dead on the inside, no emotions of any sort to be shown.

He truly was a Dead Man Walking.

Jackson walked past the pack of Grimm, no hesitation in his stride, every movement robotic, not even moving his head in either direction, it was as if it was fixed in that position. Soon after he left, the Grimm returned to their meal, as if it never happened. After walking for another ten minutes, he's reached his destination.

Walking out the forest, he came into an enormous clearing, one of the biggest the Emerald Forest has to offer. Jackson suddenly felt small in this open space. No matter, he wasn't here for size comparison, it was something much more important, much more personal.

Standing in the center of the clearing, there was a stone block, no more than a foot tall, and two feet by two feet. On the stone, flowers and vines were engraved around the edge, with a message in the middle of it, surrounded by plant life:

 _Elpída: The Village of Hope_

 _A village where everyone played a part, where everyone cared for each other, where everyone was family, regardless of gender, age, or being human or faunus._

 _All the residents came together from all four corners of Remnant, from all kinds of backgrounds, businessmen, teachers, doctors, and veterans, to create a community, to show the world anything is truly possible. By working together, using nothing but each other and their abilities, they brought a dream to life._

 _May your example of cooperation and trust stand the test of time, as we look back at where you once stood, proving those who doubted you wrong._

 _-Atlas, Mistral, Vacuo, and Vale_

Jackson tried hard not to cry, he really did, but yet again, that emotionless facade he had before had shattered, and emotions began to pour out. Collapsing to his knees, he was bawling, not caring who, or what heard him cry. After five minutes of solid crying, he composed himself enough to properly speak.

"*sniff*, Hi guys," he said. "I hope you're all doing fine up above. So far I've kept my promise to come back and visit you guys, and I hope to keep that promise for many more years.

"*gasp* Things have changed since I last talked to you guys, a bunch, actually. I'm now enrolled in a place called Beacon. Apparently it's a Huntsman academy, one of the best, according to them. It started out rough, but things have gotten better over time. Beanie's still around, I've been taking good care of him. I've also made a bunch of new friends at the academy.

"Also, you're not gonna believe who I found at Beacon. It's Weiss! *sniff* Hehe, she's here guys, she's here with me! She's changed so much since the last time I've seen her. She's matured so much in the last three years since I've last seen her, she's now heiress to her dad's company. Crazy right? I've been so lonely all this time, and now, I've got a connection to the past, back when everything was perfect. But don't let her cold demeanor she's got going on fool you, she's still the same girl I met all those years ago. Artistic, graceful, and she knows how to handle a rapier. I haven't heard her sing yet, but I need to, it's been too long since I've heard her beautiful singing."

There was a moment of silence, where Jackson tried to get a hold of his emotions, as they were threatening to resurface in large waves. Once he felt sure he had in under control, he continued.

"… I really miss you guys. Martha, Edward, Jasmine, Tanner, all of you. Especially you, Mom and Dad. I- *gasp* I wish you guys were still around to see how much *gasp*, how much your little boy has grown up."

He couldn't hold it in any longer. He broke out into tears, droplets falling onto the stone grave.

As he cried, a large, muscular hand was placed on his shoulder, though Jackson didn't feel it. Following it back to the source, it belonged to a muscular giant, who had tears rolling down his face as he smiled. He was 6'6", with tanned skin, a beard, and thick hair. At his side was a woman, who was only 5'10". She also had tanned skin, similar to Jackson, wrapping her arm around the man's waist, crying and smiling as well. Following his lead, she placed a hand on Jackson's other shoulder.

Soon, more people began to appear, and soon there was a large crowd, surrounding the three people and the monument. Just like the couple, they were smiling and crying, all of them hand-in-hand, arms in each other. Elderly, children, and young to middle-aged adults, created one large circle, standing where the village once stood.

Jackson continued to cry, reminiscing about the life he once had, the laughs he once shared, and the bright smiles he once showed. But while he was crying he felt… warm, like the fond memories he had warmed his body up, even in the windy and chilly conditions that were currently happening. He wasn't aware of all his friends and family gathering around him, but he could feel them, whether he was aware of it or not, the warmth he felt proving that.

A long time passed, before Jackson stopped his crying, and stood up. The couple took their hands off him, and stepped back. Standing up, he looked down at the stone block.

"It's been a long year without you guys," Jackson said. "And it'll be another long year. But now I have Weiss to help me. I'll tell you all about it when I see you guys again." Turning around, he began to leave the clearing, and was heading towards the couple, but neither made any move to get out of the way of the other. Once Jackson had reached them, he continued to walk, no sign of stopping.

But instead of making contact, Jackson had walked straight through them.

The couple turned to face Jackson leaving, and they began to wave goodbye, as well as the rest of the group who was there. The large man only said one thing before Jackson completely left the clearing.

" _See you soon, son."_

Once he left, the crowd slowly began to disappear, until it was only the couple, looking out into the forest. Soon, they disappeared too, leaving a silent field, as if nothing were ever there, a gust of wind blowing through the open field.

…

 _Beacon Academy_

 _Two Hours Later_

Jackson made his way back to Beacon after stopping by his tree house, just a small trip down memory lane. He was making his way to RWBY's dorm to apologize for how he acted today, he got it out of his system now. Meanwhile, Weiss was running all around campus, desperately looking for Jackson.

She was mentally slapping herself for completely forgetting about today. How could she have forgotten? Idiot! She's covered almost all of campus, with Jackson nowhere to be seen. Before she could berate herself any further, her scroll went off. Pulling it out of her pocket, she found out it was coming from Ruby. She immediately answered.

"Ruby?" She frantically. "Where are you?"

"Where am I?" Ruby asked. "Where are YOU? You ditched us at Ozpin's office, and none of us have seen you anywhere on campus!"

"I've been looking for Jackson this whole time, I can't find him anywhere!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Nora found him five minutes ago," Ruby responded.

"WHAT?!"

"We put her as lookout so he wouldn't stumble upon us before we were ready," Ruby said. "We have everything set up, and she's bringing him over to our room. All that's missing is you."

"DON'T YOU DARE DO ANYTHING ELSE!" Weiss screamed over the scroll. "Have Nora stall him, I need to be there!" Before she allowed Ruby to respond, she hung up on her and began to run to her dorm, where it would turn into a disaster if she didn't stop them.

…

"Thank you for understanding Nora," Jackson said. "I feel really bad about what I did this morning, and I wanted to apologize to you and RWBY."

"Don't worry about it Jackson!" Nora chirped. "Besides, you made up for it by beating up Cardin at lunch!"

Jackson stopped dead in his tracks. "Wait, you saw that?"

"Mmhmm!" Nora confirmed. "It was so cool, you were like playing whack-a-mole with his head, except you were using his head as the hammer! Well, we didn't see it, Ozpin told us what happened. Plus there's videos going all over Beacon about it! And the hand thing was so cool too! I know most people would freak out over that, but it's Cardin, so it's okay!"

Jackson visibly cringed when he heard about that. "Damn, I was hoping I wasn't being recorded. Now I look like a psychopath."

"Forgetabboutit," Nora said in a mock-upstate-city-man tone. "Everyone hates Cardin, they'll probably thank you for doing that. And if they don't we can break their legs!"

Jackson chuckled at her sadistic bubbly personality. "No Nora, we don't need to cripple anyone, but thank you for your words of comfort." Jackson looked around him, and was confused. "Um, Nora, where are we going?"

"To RWBY's dorm," she replied.

"RWBY's dorm is to the east. The exact opposite direction we're heading."

Nora stopped. "Ooohhhhh, you wanted to go east? I thought you said weast."

Jackson could only sigh. Little did he know, this was all part of Nora's plan to distract him, to give Weiss enough time to group up with the others. Nora couldn't be that stupid…

Right?

…

When Weiss arrived to her dorm, she was breathing heavily, since she broke out into a full-blown sprint across school to get here.

Ruby opened her door only the slightest bit, and flung it wide open when she saw who it was. "Weiss!" She exclaimed. "Thank god you're here! This plan wouldn't work without you!"

Before she could even speak, Weiss was dragged into her room. Looking up, what she saw drained the color from her face.

"No," she said. "No, no no no nonononononoNO! Ruby you need to-"

Yang pulled her into a bear hug, covering her mouth. "It's too late to change anything," Yang said. "Nora and Jackson are supposed to show up any second now. Believe me, I didn't want to do any of this, but Ruby was determined."

Weiss desperately tried to free herself and get a word out, but Yang's grip was firm, and all that could be heard is a distant muffle.

Jackson and Nora had just turned the corner and were heading for RWBY's dorm after redirecting course. Before he could continue his walk to their room, Nora had dashed past him and straight into RWBY's dorm. It confused Jackson, but he shook it off soon after, determined to set things right. He began to walk again, and closed the gap between him and the door.

What he didn't notice, was that his doppelganger had finally made his appearance, and he was sneaking up on Jackson, trying not to be heard. He had a devilish smile planted on his face. Sticking out his right hand, a demonic version of Titán, which was in Bowie form. He was waiting for the right moment, and he'd know when it was, then he would strike. Unaware of what's behind him, Jackson took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

Walking in, RWBY and JNPR was spread out around the room, smiles plastered on their faces, well most of them, with Yang… hugging Weiss? Before he could process what was happening, they split down the middle, and revealed something that made his heart stop.

"SURPRISE!" They all yelled in unison, except for Weiss. Everyone threw their hands up as they yelled, which let go of Weiss, who looked just as horrified as he was, but that wouldn't last for long.

Confetti seemingly came out of nowhere, while he was still busy looking at the streamers they had placed up all over the ceiling. Looking at the table, he saw that it was lined up with wrapped presents, and in the center of it all, a cake, expertly decorated, just for this very day.

March 25th.

His birthday.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Now was his time! Immediately coming up behind him, the doppelganger stabbed the knife deep, piercing Jackson's right lung, causing him to immediately gasp for air.

" _sUrpRIse!"_

His job was done. Pulling out his knife, he stepped back, and slowly dissipated, laughing maniacally as he left. The group saw his gasp, and thought it was one of surprise and joy, but it wasn't until Jackson collapsed to his hands and knees did they figure out something was wrong. Everyone's smiles faded, and turned into worry.

"What's happening?" Ruby asked to no one in particular.

Weiss was the first to jump to action. In two swift steps, she was at Jackson's side, checking everything she could on him. She soon turned to the others in fury.

"DAMMIT RUBY!" She hissed. "You shouldn't have thrown this fucking party!"

"What do you mean?" Ruby fearfully asked.

"His birthday is the last thing he wants to celebrate! It's why he didn't bother telling us anything in the morning!" She looked back at Jackson. "I completely forgot about today, and it wasn't until Ozpin told us did I remember."

"Then why didn't you tell us anything?" Ruby interrogated.

"I DID!" She screamed.

…

" _HAIR YANG!"_

" _Ruby, don't do a thing! I need to go find him."_

" … _how come you didn't tell us? Weiss?"_

…

"You were so engulfed in your conversation about how you'd fix it, that you didn't even hear what I said about trying not to!" Weiss exclaimed. She checked on Jackson, and she looked scared. "Oh my god, he's having a panic attack!"

Ruby suddenly came in, and sat on Jackson's other side that wasn't occupied. She tried to soothe him, rubbing his back and whispering to him to try and bring him back.

Nothing registered with Jackson, he was engulfed in his own memories. The doppelganger's attack had triggered something in his mind, he was experiencing all of his memories, all at once. The good, the bad, the awful, even the long forgotten ones, the ones he's tried so hard to recover after all these years.

But he wasn't prepared for when they hit. He was completely caught off guard, and because of it, the sudden memory trigger has done significant damage to his mind. Nothing made sense, he couldn't tell what was what, it was a sudden memory overload, too much for him to handle. His heart rate skyrocketed, his rapid breathing became faster as the fear in his system kept getting bigger and bigger due to these suppressed memories breaking through all at once.

Then, his mind crashed, and stopped entirely.

Jackson took one last gasp of air, before stopping entirely, his head falling down as he exhaled. He didn't move, he didn't so much as breathe, he just stayed on his hands and knees, completely silent.

Everyone stayed completely still, utterly silent, paralyzed by what just occurred. The moment of pause lasted for 10 seconds, before Ruby decided to do something.

She slowly began to pat Jackson's shoulder, speaking in a soft manner. "Jackson?" She softly asked. "Are you there?"

In less than half a second, Jackson's right hand shot outwards and wrapped around Ruby's neck, cutting off airflow. His head snapped up, and crazed eyes were what could be seen. What was even more bizarre, Jackson's eyes began to glow. From what started off as a dull gold, his eyes began to grow bright, reaching the point of Blake's eye color, but a small amount of light was being emitted.

During his memory overload, he couldn't make sense of anything. However, the last of his memories he experienced were all tinted red, and before his mind shut off, two emotions were very clear, something his mind has now resorted to.

Rage, and murder.

But it wasn't just that. There was some sort of memory filter going through. Jackson wasn't seeing this as RWBY's dorm anymore, this was now his village, burning to the ground around him. Everyone who stood present were now White Fang members of different size and build, and in his grasp, was a sharply dressed Bull faunus with red hair, and a sheath at his side.

Jackson began to stand back up, and with it, he brought Ruby up into the air, still gripping her by the neck. She began to frantically thrash her legs about, and everyone else was still processing this immediate turn of events, and what was happening in front of them.

As Ruby continued to thrash about, Jackson changed pace, and threw her to the table, being destroyed under the force. When the crash could be heard, that's when everyone snapped out of it, and jumped into action. JNPR all brought out their weapons, Blake and Yang as well, Yang absolutely seething with rage about what just happened. Weiss however, while she was also out of her paralyzed state, didn't unsheathe Myrtenaster. Her hand hovered over it, trembling.

Jackson scanned the group of threats, as that's how he perceived them in his current state of mind, all except Weiss. Even in his murderous mindset, he could still tell that Weiss was not his enemy. However, the rest of them weren't registered as allies, especially the one on fire. All logic and reasoning had left him, only bloodlust and hate was what remained.

With a faint red outline, Jackson brought out his revolver, and shot at Nora and Jaune, since they were the two closest people to being directly in front of him. With terrifying accuracy, he had nailed both fighters square in the head, snapping back dropped, taking them out of the fight.

"JAUNE!"

"NORA!"

Under normal circumstances, Jaune and Nora's reaction time would've gotten them out of the way of the bullet path in time, or blocked it from making contact. But there was something different about Jackson. In his new mental state, there was no hesitation, no remorse, his movements seemed mechanical and calculated, fueled by rage. He shot both of them in quick succession, and the whole process took a second to complete.

Jackson went to aim at the others, but they had enough time to react properly, Ren and Yang dodging out of the way of the bullet path, while Pyrrha brought up her shield to block the bullet.

Jackson went to fire at Blake, but all he heard was a _click_ of the weapon. Taking this as her chance, Yang charged forward, ready to cave his skull in, but Jackson's reflexes were razor sharp. As Yang came in to attack, he brought up his left hand, and caught her hand mid-stride. A blast of air shot out from the point of contact, and Yang came to a dead stop, shocking her. While she was thrown off, Jackson used this time to prep Titán. Tossing it into the air and grabbing it by the barrel, Jackson pistol-whipped her, just like he did with Cardin, crashing it into the side of Yang's head with much more force, her body falling into a heap, now placed in some sort of limbo between conscious and unconscious. With Yang out of the picture, all that left was Blake, Pyrrha, and Ren.

Before having a chance to reload, or use the melee counterpart, Titán was ripped out of grasp, and thrown across the room, far out of his reach. No one was near him at the time, and when he was looking for what did it, he noticed Pyrrha's hand stretched out, black Aura outlining her hand. Now that Jackson was unarmed, all three of them came at him, determined to take him down.

Blake and Ren came at him from both sides, and Pyrrha took up the center, but she was lagging behind since she was busy disarming him. Blake and Ren attempted to strike at him with their weapons, but Jackson had caught both their wrists before making contact. Pyrrha was coming up strong towards Jackson with her shield out, but using Blake's and Ren's arms as support, he hopped up and planted both feet on her shield, kicking outwards and pushing her back.

But his grip on them didn't last long. Blake had seemingly vanished, her arm disappearing all of a sudden, but after looking to his left, found Blake a few feet away, in one piece. Blake was now out of his grip, while Ren quickly moved and bent Jackson's hand in a direction where he was forced to let go to prevent his wrist from being broken. Now free, they charged him again, but more cautiously this time, so as to not be trapped in his grip again.

Ren had charged Jackson again, and instead of using Stormflower, he began to attack him in hand-to-hand combat. Ren was an expert martial artist, and while his weapons revolved around allowing him to use his martial skills, he was just as effective with his bear hands. He came at Jackson attempting to strike his chest and face, and while Jackson was no martial artist, his reflexes were phenomenal. Any opening Ren attempted to exploit, Jackson's hand was already there, ready to deflect and counter. RWBY and JNPR had never seen him operate at this capacity before, not even during sparring matches. With this speed, his defense was near impenetrable through direct attack, so Ren switched things up.

Because Jackson was so engulfed in what was happening with Ren's hands, he was thrown off when Ren swiftly switched from hands to feet, and swept the legs out from under Jackson. Now in the air with no control over his body, this gave Ren the opportunity to strike at his midsection, and send him crashing into the floor. Before Jackson could get up, he found himself staring down the barrel of a red and bronze rifle, aimed by none other than Pyrrha Nikos.

"Stand down Jackson!" She exclaimed. She was furious about Jaune and Nora, and what he did to them, she was even on the brink of tears, but she willed herself to stay calm and focus on the matter at hand. Blake and Ren proceeded to do the same, and pulled out their weapons, aiming it at Jackson in hopes of keeping him under control. They didn't want him dead, they wanted him detained and interrogated for the reason behind his actions. Jackson slowly began to raise his hands up in surrender, but Pyrrha tensed herself up, suspecting he might pull a fast one on her, and she was right.

As soon as he thought his hands were close enough to the barrel of Pyrrha's rifle, Jackson's hands wrapped around the barrel and shoved it to the side, right into Ren's dual-wield pistols. Both fired, but they shot wide, missing Jackson. Blake was able to fire at Jackson and hit him, but the hoodie took the brunt of the impact, and kept it from penetrating.

Wrenching it out of Pyrrha's grasp, Jackson used the stock to bashed her in the face, as the sudden pull brought her stumbling forward, and immediately jumped back up, re-armed. While he may be armed again, he still wasn't nearly as dangerous as he was with Titán. With a handgun, you're able to point it in any direction you please with a simple flick of the wrist. A rifle, however, was bigger and more difficult to maneuver, especially in a confined space at close-quarters. You're only a greater threat to someone when they're in the line of the barrel, which was much, much smaller than that of a pistol. He may have a gun again, but he was still at a disadvantage, but then again, considering his current performance, he might not be.

Jackson began to open fire at the three, each one dashing out of the way, Pyrrha currently trapped behind her shield as he continues to fire. Eventually, her rifle begins to give off a clicking sound, now out of ammo as well. They weren't taking any chances anymore. Blake and Ren began to return fire, aiming for his lower body and shoulders, trying to place non-lethal shots, but enough to take him out of the fight, at the very least, hinder his performance. Again, the Kevlar hoodie was able to take the brunt of the impact, but it was beginning to wear out. If Jackson didn't do something quick, he'd be in serious trouble.

Before he could think of something, the rifle in his hands suddenly jerked forward, and saw that Pyrrha was attempting to take back her weapon. A tug-o-war ensued, and Jackson was slowly losing the match. Suddenly, he had an idea. His hail of fire had pushed Pyrrha back to the bookshelf behind her, and closer to the window. He tightened his grip on the rifle, and began to tug harder, hoping to bait Pyrrha into yanking much harder, and it worked.

Pyrrha had gotten sick of his struggle, and using much more force than before, had pulled at her rifle. Finally, her rifle began to make its way toward her, but so was Jackson. He allowed the force of her pull to yank at him as well, sending him careening towards her. The sudden change of tactic on his part had surprised her and threw her off guard when he decided to come with the rifle. She was able to bring her shield up in time, but her mass wasn't low and centered, which would come to be her downfall.

Using the rifle to adjust his body mid-air, Jackson now had his feet facing Pyrrha. Once he impacted her shield, he amped up the impact with an Aura infused kick, and that was enough to do it. The impact and her lack of center-mass sent her off her feet, and with the destroyed table and Ruby at the side, she wasn't able to get her footing, and sent crashing through the window to the outside world.

"PYRRHA!" Blake and Ren exclaimed. RWBY and JNPR didn't live on the ground floor, they were a few floors above that. Five were down, all that remained were two.

Enraged, both students charged him, ready to kill him. Jackson responded accordingly, and immediately went of the defensive. Their attacks were fast and full of power, but because fury clouded their mind, they were also sloppy and uncoordinated. There were times where their attacks interfered with each other, and cancelled each other out. Meanwhile, Jackson stayed on the defensive, blocking and redirecting attacks with the rifle in his hands, waiting for an opening. Their attacks may be poorly executed, but they were throwing out too many attacks in a short span of time to properly exploit the minuscule openings in each attack, because he would always have to block another swing before he's given the chance.

Eventually, their attacks began to falter, wearing themselves out too soon. They still kept a fast pace, but there was now enough of a time gap in each attack to exploit the openings. Going for Blake first, Jackson deflected one of her blows, and very quickly threw a punch at her midsection. After going on the offensive for so long, she didn't expect this sudden change. Hitting her square in the diaphragm with the butt of the rifle, Jackson hindering her breathing. With her temporarily dealt with, he put his attention on Ren. He was in a fighting stance, however his breathing was heavier than usual, a sign of his tiredness.

Charging towards each other yet again, they began to exchange blows, each one deflected or countered by the other. They were at a stalemate, neither one gaining an advantage over the other. That is, until Ren's tiredness gave Jackson an opening, a direct path to his stomach in the middle of each attack..

Quickly seizing the opportunity, Jackson snapped his fist outward, colliding with Ren's exposed stomach. Ren doubled over in pain at how much force Jackson put into that one strike. Ren tried to recover, but it was too late, Jackson had him. Quickly and efficiently, Jackson began to strike at Ren's sides and face, weakening and disorienting him. He tried to defend himself, but Jackson was throwing out more punches than he could block in his current state.

Eventually, Ren was bruised and battered, unable to properly defend himself anymore. Jackson decided to put an end to it, and socked him in the face, knocking him out.

Before he could turn to face Blake, something had wrapped around his neck, and tightened quickly, almost completely cutting off airflow. Turning around, he found that it was Blake who was responsible, using the ribbon wrapped around her forearm to choke him. Jackson struggled with the ribbon, attempting to get it off, but Blake wasn't going to let that happen. Blake tugged at the ribbon, tightening it the more Jackson attempted to break free. He had to think fast if he didn't want to pass out due to oxygen deprivation.

Struggling even further, he used that as a distraction so he could wrap his hand around a portion of the ribbon without her noticing. He was able to loop the ribbon around his hand four times, enough to have a solid grip on it. As soon as Blake began to pull at the ribbon again, when she extended her arms, Jackson immediately yanked at the ribbon, causing her to lose her footing and stumble towards him. The ribbon immediately slackened, and Jackson could breathe again. Gripping the ribbon with his other hand, he yanked the ribbon even harder, bringing Blake stumbling within striking range. Sticking his hand out, Jackson clotheslined Blake, and she fell to the floor flat on her back, knocking the wind out of her. As she struggled to regain her breath a second time, Jackson kicked her across the face, knocking her out as well.

Now that everyone was taken care of, he looked back at Ruby, who was just starting to get back up. Jackson walked over to her, and Ruby noticed this, trying to get out his reach, but she was a tad bit too slow. She tried to use her semblance to dash out his reach, but it wouldn't activate. She was in such a confused and panicked state, she couldn't focus on activating it. Grabbing her by the collar, Jackson yanked her back, sending her slamming into the door.

The impact put her in a daze, but she snapped out of it when she felt something wrap around her neck again and pull her up. Her vision cleared, and she was looking into Jackson's eyes, crazed and full of rage.

" **You failed, faunus,** " he said in a low and terrifying voice. " **You tried to kill me, but it would appear that you and your thugs weren't enough.** " Turning Ruby around, she was now facing her team and friends, sprawled across the room, unconscious, the window shattered as well. She was turned back towards Jackson soon after.

" **Now, you will pay for what you did to my friends, what you did to my family, what you did to** _ **me.**_ " Jackson's grip tightened on Ruby, and she resorted back to thrashing her legs in a panic. As she continued to do so, her vision began to blur and darken, but she still flailed about.

She was able to squeak out one last sentence. "Jackson, please, stop. It's me, Ruby."

And his mind rebooted.

The memory filter disappeared, the red tint was no more, and everything was seen normally now, as well as his hand strangling Ruby instead of who he thought he was strangling before.

Jackson's face turned into one of horror, as he realized what he's done. Ruby's grip on his hand began to falter, and her eyes were fluttering to a close. Jackson immediately let go of her, and she fell to the floor, gasping for air, and hacking as well. Jackson tried to reach out to her with trembling hands, and tears welling up in his eyes.

"R-Ruby?"

But before he could reach her, a jolt of electricity was sent coursing through him, and his muscles spasmed and locked up as the pain was immense.

Forcing his head to look around him, he found that it was Weiss responsible, for she put up a glyph right under Jackson's feet, made of electricity Dust, and shocked him with a steady current of electricity. He desperately tried to reach out to her to get her to stop, but his muscles kept convulsing due to the current.

"NOW YANG!" Weiss exclaimed. Looking back, he saw a ball of fire with red eyes barreling towards him. He couldn't do anything to dodge or block the attack, all he could do is brace for impact and pray.

Yang, with the strength and burning fury of a thousand suns, put every ounce of energy she had into the punch, and when she made contact, the result was devastating. The point of impact had blown up in a ball of fire, and Jackson was flown backwards at high velocity, smashing through the doorway and the wall on the other side. He continued smashing through drywall and into another dorm room, before lacking enough force to bust through another wall, and fell to the floor unconscious with some broken ribs.

Yang breathed heavily, as she just spent the last of her energy into taking Jackson out of the fight. Hearing a hack from the floor, she was instantly reminded of Ruby, and dashed over to her to see how she was doing. Kneeling next to Ruby's side, she frantically checked her over to make sure there was nothing wrong with her, aside from the strangling.

"Ruby, are you okay?!" Yang asked in a hysterical voice. Ruby continued to hack and cough, she even seemed ready to vomit.

When she was able to properly breathe again, she finally responded. "Wh-What happened?" She asked, her voice shaky, tears staring to form.

"I don't know sis," Yang responded. She immediately looked over at Weiss, hoping to get an answer. "Weiss, what the hell just happened?!"

Weiss was at a loss for words. "I..." Before she could finish, an audible groan could be heard from behind them. Turning around, they saw Jaune sitting upright, rubbing his forehead. "Son of a bitch..."

"JAUNE!" Yang yelled and ran over to him, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Thank God you're alive! We thought you were dead!"

"At this point I kind of wish that's what happened, my head's killing me." As soon as he said that, another groan could be heard, but more feminine.

"Owie..." Nora sat upright as well, rubbing her head in pain.

"Nora!" Weiss exclaimed, running over to her and checking her over. "You're okay too!"

"Not really," Nora grumbled. "My head hurts."

"How did this happen anyway?" Jaune asked, still in a daze. Yang and Weiss were just as confused as they were, they thought they were killed. It wasn't until Weiss spotted something on the floor next to Jaune's feet did she realize what happened.

She picked it up off the ground, and after inspecting it, she knew exactly what she was holding. "This is a dummy round," Weiss deduced. "Jackson was firing dummy rounds at us the whole time, that's why Jaune and Nora are still alive."

Back at the locker room in Glynda's class, Jackson had loaded his revolver with the dummy rounds for the scheduled sparring match, but he never exchanged them for real rounds after hearing he had the rest of the day off. He must have forgotten he had the dummy rounds loaded when he walked into their dorm. While they don't kill someone, if shot at the head, there's a chance of a pain overload, and have the victim temporarily black out, if the distance is close enough and the caliber is high enough.

Weiss surveyed the destruction Jackson caused, in their own room and in the hallway as well. She knew the reason for all of this, but no one else did, yet. Still, she was at a total loss at how capable Jackson was at causing this much damage. Only one thing kept running through her mind.

 _'Why couldn't I remember?'_

Amidst all the chaos, no one noticed the single rose petal that laid in the center of the room.

...

AN: **And that's Part One! So, I realized about halfway through this chapter, that what I had in mind for the special chapter would be too big to fit into just one, so now the one special chapter is TWO special chapters! So you may not get the whole story yet like I promised, but now you guys got some things to think about while the next chapter comes out, so stay tuned! Follow, Favorite, and most importantly, REVIEW, and I will see you all in Part 2! See ya!**


	11. Truth Be Told: Part 2

AN: **HAHA, SECOND SURPRISE UPLOAD! Welcome to Dead Man Walking, Special Chapter #2! Shoutout to Gamble1015 and Warztas for following/favoriting the story, welcome aboard! Let's begin!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any songs that appear within the chapter.**

…

 _Unknown Location_

 _Unknown Time_

Jackson groggily woke up, and immediately closed his eyes, wincing as the sudden brightness of the room. After allowing a moment for his eyes to adjust to the lighting, he found himself in a white room, neatly kept, faintly smelling of rubbing alcohol. He soon figured out he was back in the infirmary. Looking down at his body, he found himself covered up by a blanket, and found Weiss passed out in a seat next to him. He smiled at the sight, happy that Weiss would keep him company when he ends up in the infirmary. Speaking of, how did he end up here anyway?

And it all came back to him, putting him into a panic.

Jackson started to get out of bed, but his chest immediately flared up in pain, but that didn't stop him. What did stop him was the straps under the blanket, pinning him to the bed. He began to thrash about, hoping either to loosen them, or snap them off. The bed began to shake, but it didn't disturb Weiss' slumber. It was when he started shouting did she wake up.

" _RUBY!_ "

Weiss practically fell out her seat when he screamed out. She was about to snap at him when she got back up, but soon realized where she was. She went over to Jackson's side, trying to calm him down, but before she did, she called out into the hallway. "He's awake!" She turned her attention towards him. "Jackson, calm down!" She gripped him by the shoulders, and looked him in the eye, hoping to get through to him.

But Jackson wasn't having it. He was worried sick about Ruby's condition, especially after what he did to her. "RUBY!" He screamed once again. Hearing rapid footsteps coming from the hallway, he saw Yang, Blake, and JNPR rush into his room. All of their faces had mixed reactions, worry, anger, a mixture of both.

Jackson looked at Yang. "Yang, where's Ruby?!" He frantically asked. "Is she alright?!"

Yang walked over to him, and in the blink of an eye, punched Jackson across the face. JNPR immediately jumped in, grabbing Yang and pulling her back from his bedside. She began to struggle against them, her eyes now red.

"She's fine Jackson," she replied in a seething tone. "And far away from you, YOU FUCKING PSYCHOPATH!"

That wasn't enough for Jackson, he wanted to see for himself, he wanted to know what he did. Continuing to struggle against the strap, it soon snapped under the pressure, and Jackson sat upright, his chest continuing to throb in pain. He ripped the blanket off himself, and found another strap pinning his legs to the bed. He went to go and unstrap it, but a pair of small hands pushed against his chest, stopping his progress. Tracing them back to the source, he found it was Weiss who was stopping, her face pleading him to stop, and just wait. At that point, he was torn. He desperately wanted to find Ruby, but Jackson wasn't able to bring himself to go against Weiss' wishes and stay in bed. Thankfully, he didn't have to make a decision.

"Yang?" A soft voice called from the doorway. Everyone turning to the source of the disturbance, they all found Ruby standing in the doorway, her face scared and uncertain.

"Ruby, what are you doing here?" Yang asked, worry evident in her voice. No one noticed, but Yang strategically placed herself between Jackson and Ruby, in case worse came to worst. "We told you to stay in the front office!"

"I couldn't just sit around and do nothing," Ruby quietly rebutted. Her attention turned towards him, and something about her expression changed. But Jackson didn't care, he was happy that Ruby seemed to be alright.

"Ruby!" Jackson exclaimed. He began to sit upright. "Thank God you're alri-"

As soon as he began to get up, Ruby immediately took a few steps back, which cut very deep for Jackson. "…Ruby?"

"Just, stay there Jackson," Ruby said. "Please." She adjusted the collar of her dress, and when Jackson looked at it closer, what he saw broke him.

Around her neck, there was a bruise forming, a bruise created by Jackson's very own hands. His eyes widened in horror, not wanting to believe he was responsible for that.

"I trusted you Jackson," she whispered. "You, *sniff* you promised me."

Jackson's mind immediately went back to the Emerald Forest, after his hunting expedition with Ruby.

…

" _Look, it may look like I'm psychotic, hell, I'm not even sure if I'm not at this point, but I need you to know that it will never happen towards any of you guys. I won't let myself go insane around you guys, because I might do I'll regret immensely, and I won't be able to live with myself if that happens. You have my word."_

…

That memory kept replaying in his head, each time worse than the last. Yang watched as Ruby began to silently cry, which pushed her over the edge. Snatching Jackson's revolver from the nightstand next to him, she aimed it at his forehead.

"I could kill you right now Jackson!" Yang screamed. "I could kill you right now for what you did to all of us, especially Ruby!" Blake and JNPR made no motion to move towards her, in fear of causing her to shoot. Jackson saw what she was doing, but didn't flinch or didn't quiver in fear. He was too busy thinking about his shattered promise to Ruby and them. Although, his promise still held some truth to it.

Looking up at Yang, he snatched Titán from her grasp, and opened up the cylinder, revealing itself to be empty. Rummaging through his pockets, he pulled out five live rounds, and loaded up Titán. Once all five chambers were loaded, he snapped the cylinder back in place, and handed it back to Yang, the barrel facing him.

" _Do it._ "

Everyone, even Yang, was horrified at this sudden turn of events. Jackson was handing Yang a fully loaded firearm, fully expecting her to make good on her threat. To further prove it, he pulled back the hammer, and grabbed Yang's hand, placing it on Titán's grip.

Tears began to well up in Jackson's eyes, as he continued to press her. "Go ahead Yang, do it. End it all for me." He looked over at Ruby, her eyes wide in horror. "I told you Ruby, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if this ever happened. Not only did it happen, it happened to everyone here. JNPR, Blake, Yang, especially you. I almost killed you for God's sake!" Taking his hands off Titán, Yang now held it aimed at his forehead, ready to fire, only needing a little squeeze to finish the job.

Yang's hand began to tremble, never thinking she'd be in this position. Yes, she hated him, especially after what he did to her sister and friends, but would she go as far as to murder him in cold blood? Not five minutes ago, she made the exact threat to do that very task. Now here she is, a simple tug away from completing it. She didn't lower the weapon, but she couldn't find the willpower to pull the trigger.

"Do it Yang!" Jackson exclaimed. "Make good on your threat and pull the fucking trigger! DO IT!"

"STOP!" In a flash, Ruby was right next to Yang, slapping the gun out of her hands, which went off when it hit the ground. Thankfully, it shot through the window, and no one was injured. Ruby then turned towards him, gripping his shoulders tightly, tears streaming down her face. "I told you to stay in bed Jackson, not to fucking kill yourself!"

Jackson's head dropped, tears also falling from his face. "You saw what happened Ruby," he whispered. "How can I trust myself after that? Who can say I won't snap again, and do something much worse. What if I…?" Jackson couldn't even finish the sentence before beginning to cry.

This time, it was Weiss who gripped his shoulders, and lifted up his face who look at her, also crying. "Don't you EVER think that way about yourself Jackson!" She said. "Last week was different from the rest of the year, you know that!" She turned to the others. "But they don't."

Jackson knew she was right. None of the others know of his past, and why he acted the way he did last-

"Wait," Jackson said. "I've been out for a week?"

Weiss smiled, tears still falling down her face. "*sniff*, Yang put a lot into that punch she threw at you. You may not remember it, but you went smashing through three walls and a door." She prodded at his side, which hurt. "You came out of it with a few broken ribs. Three, if I'm right." Jackson smiled at her playful demeanor, even at a time like this. But she was right, Weiss and himself were the only people to know why he snapped. And now, they all more than deserve to know the truth.

"You're right Weiss." He looked over to the group. "You guys don't know the truth. I would assume that Weiss told you something about the birthday thing, to not do anything, or something of that sort. It's not because I hate birthday parties, it goes a lot deeper than a hatred for confetti." That got a chuckle out of Weiss, and a few smiles from the group.

"But for you to truly know what happened to me, I need to start from the beginning." Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself to talk about a very sensitive, and very painful subject: His past.

"How many of you know _Elpída_?" Jackson asked. Aside from Weiss, the question drew confused faces from the group, all except for Pyrrha.

" _Elpída_ is the greek word for Hope," Pyrrha responded.

Jackson nodded. "It was also the name of the village I came from. It's actually located far North of here."

Now Pyrrha looked confused. "But the only village north of here doesn't go by that name," Pyrrha said.

Jackson also nodded at that, a lump forming in his throat as he did so. "That's because _Elpída_ no longer stands." Utter silence, shocked expressions on their faces.

' _Time for the truth to be told.'_

…

" _About 25 years ago, a man with a small, but largely successful firearms shop, had grown tired of the routine life he was living in Mantle, now known as Atlas. That was my father, Michael Wesson._

" _Deciding to do something about it, he sold everything he had, and spent a large portion of it on building materials for a fresh start. He spent the rest of the money on transportation, tools, camping equipment, and food and water. He sent a message through the CCT across the whole world: I plan on making a fresh start, away from the Kingdoms, away from the routine lifestyle we all live. For those of you who feel the same way, I welcome you to join me in building a community, where we look out for each other, where we care for each other. Away from the bustling city life, honking horns and angry pedestrians who walk the street. If you accompany me, you'll be a part of a family, regardless of age, gender, or if you're faunus or human, but it's up to you if you want to be a part of this._

" _He got a larger response than he originally expected. From all across Remnant, people had responded to his message, ecstatic to build a community with him. Teachers, doctors, mechanics, almost every person came from almost every field, a total of almost 130 people. He was more than happy to accommodate for all of them, so long as they actively participated within the community, but he was sure they would, otherwise they wouldn't have come._

" _And it began. Moving all the material and people down south into Vale, they chose an area in the Emerald Forest best suited to sustain a village, and they got to work. Thankfully, a few of them were working in architecture when they heard the message, so they helped him lay out plans, and how he'll build them so they stay nice and sturdy. During the construction process, most people slept in the tents and sleeping bags my dad bought. And over time, he began to get close to a teacher from Mistral, who would come to be my mother, Melissa Brown._

" _A few years later, it was complete. At least, what he originally had planned. Only enough houses were built to accompany 100 people, because he didn't expect such a large response. It was a bit cramped for a time, but they didn't mind. They were all in this together, so they would help each other until they had more houses. During that time, my parents had grown closer and closer, and they volunteered to take one house together. They were acting like a married couple, and funny enough, one of the people who came with them was a Priest. He wanted to be a part of the journey, and make sure the Lord watched over us during our time out in the Emerald Forest. The community held a wedding ceremony, and while it wasn't fancy or elaborate by any stretch of the imagination, they've told me they wouldn't have had it any other way._

" _They always planned on having a kid, but before they wanted to, they wanted everything to be perfect and planned for in the new village. They weren't the only ones to get married by the Priest, there were plenty more couples that happened over time, man and woman, human and faunus, even a few gay couples, men and women alike. With marriages going on, there were bound to be children coming soon, so they began to build a school, and a wall to protect us from nearby Grimm. They were forced to use the surrounding forest for building material, but because this part of the forest was teeming with Grimm, almost no one came here to collect lumber._

" _This took a few more years to complete everything they had to do for their future children, but they eventually did it. A school, run by my mom and a few others, a surrounding barricade, guarded 24/7, and a small clinic, the doctors taking over that department. Those that remained still had something to do, and while it wasn't as important as the prior segments, they were still important nonetheless: Crops, hunting, fabricating clothes, livestock, hehe, my dad thought of everything. They didn't have a name for it though, but he took a look at the world around him, the buildings they erected with their own two hands, the community they built together, in a place as dangerous. A speck of light in this abyss of darkness. Then, it hit him. Elpída, the village of hope._

" _It took a little over seven years before they felt like everything was the best it could be to raise a child. Finalizing their decision, they started a family, and nine months later, I popped into this world._

" _Right off the bat I was happy as can be. Then again, I didn't really know about the Kingdoms yet, or what they had to offer. Regardless, I grew up in a place I loved more than anything. I played with other kids, we played heroes and villains, knights and monsters. I was big for my age, I was taller and more muscled than kids my age, and those a few years older than me. I felt a bit weird about it, and while no one pointed it out about me, it didn't really help me. My dad soon caught wind of what was happening, and he called me over one day. He told me a story about my, our, heritage._

" _My dad was a giant, 6'6", he was a walking mountain. He told me the reason he was so tall and buff, like what I was growing into, was that my grandmother had married my grandfather, who was a bear faunus. When they had my dad, they didn't pass any visible animal traits, but the height and build was certainly passed along, and the same thing happened when they had me._

" _Now, I don't know if he was telling the truth, I never met my grandparents. Also, he knew of my ridiculous admiration/jealousy of the faunus kids and parents."_ That brought a smile to Blake's face, though no one saw it. _"The fact they had really cool ears and tails drove me insane. I wanted a pair of ears or a tail just like them. I was never aware of the racial divide between humans and faunus, so thankfully my mind wasn't plagued by society's viewpoint. Hell, even if I was raised in one of the kingdoms, I would still be envious of their animal traits. When I heard that my granddad was a bear faunus, I went crazy. I felt so much more happy about myself when I heard I came from a bear faunus, all self-doubt was wiped from my mind. So, I guess you could say I'm ¼ Bear faunus._

" _When I reached nine, I found my purpose. My father always led the hunting group out into the forest for deer and elk, bows in their hands, swords at their sides. One day, they came back, but something was amiss. They were rushing towards the clinic, carrying something, or rather, someone in their arms. By the time I got there, a crowd had already formed around the entrance. When I pushed through the crowd, what I saw scared me._

" _One of the men in my dad's hunting group, William, or Will for short, was bleeding through some bandages that were wrapped around him."_

…

 _Elpída Village_

 _Eight Years Ago_

Young Jackson ran up to Will's side, worried more than he ever was before. Will, as well as his father, saw him approach, but they didn't stop him, they were too worried about what was happening now.

Over the years, Jackson had made a friendship with almost everyone in the village, Will being one of them. Jackson would help them with gardening, be their little assistant, or play with the pets some of the villagers brought with them. Will had an old dog he brought with him, a ten year old golden retriever. Jackson would take care of him while Will went out with his father on the hunting trip, though it felt more like a playdate than a chore.

"Dad?" Jackson asked. "What's wrong with Will?"  
His father looked at him with pained eyes. "We were hunting like usual," he started, "But a Grimm snuck up on us, and struck Will at the side. We took it down, but Will got really hurt."

Jackson looked over at Will. "Are you going to be okay?"

Will had an answer, but he couldn't bring himself to tell him. Instead, he told him something else. "I'll be fine, Jack." Will smiled, but tears were threatening to break out, but he kept himself together. "The doctors here are gonne try to fix me up, but if they can't do it, they're gonna send me to one of the Kingdoms to get better."

Jackson was scared, but he understood.

"I need you to do something for me Jackson," Will said, willing himself to continue. "If the doctors send me out to one of the Kingdoms, I need you to look after Rex for me until I get back. Can you do that for me?"

Jackson began to tear up, knowing something was off, but he nodded nonetheless.

Will smiled. "Thanks Jack, I knew I could count on you." His vision began to darken, he was losing consciousness due to blood loss. "I'm really tired Jack, that hunting trip took a lot out of me. I'm gonna rest for a while, okay? I'll see you soon." He soon passed out, the blood loss causing his tiredness.

"Will? Will!" Michael exclaimed. "Stay with me buddy! WILL!"

Doctors rushed to his side, already pulling out medical tools and syringes. Meanwhile, Jackson stared at him, and placed his hands on the bandage. "Please Will," Jackson whispered. "Pull through for Rex."

Suddenly, his hands began to glow red, and Will's whole body was outlined in a red hue as well. Michael and the doctors noticed this, and they were in shock. The outline lasted for 10 seconds, before the glow died out. Once it was over, Jackson became very tired, and collapsed to the floor, the exhaustion overtaking him.

…

" _So many things happened that day, but that was what stuck with me. Eventually, I woke up in a bed, surrounded by a bunch of people, my mom and dad at the feet of my bed. They were grinning from ear to ear, but I didn't know about what. Then, the crowd had split from the middle, and from the gap came Will, looking no worse for wear, also smiling as well, Rex at his side._

…

"Will!" Young Jackson exclaimed. "You're okay!"

"You bet I am Jack," Will said. Rex had come up to Jackson's bedside and began to vigorously lick his face.

"Haha, stop it Rex!" Eventually, Rex heeled, and Jackson looked back at Will. "What happened?"

"What, you don't remember?" Will asked.

Jackson shook his head. "My memory's a little fuzzy, and my head hurts."

Will walked over to his bedside, right next to Rex, and he kneeled. He gripped his shoulder, not painfully, but with an intensity to it. "You saved me, Jackson."

He was thrown for a loop when he heard that. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You saved me," he repeated. "When you placed your hands on my injury, I felt…warm, and after you passed out, when the doctors took off the bandages, I was completely fine. The only thing there was a scar from the attack. You have a gift, Jackson."

Jackson looked at the crowd, smiles on all their faces, nodding their heads. He looked at his hands, and he could've sworn he saw a faint red glow. His life would change from there.

…

"Because I learned about Aura and semblances in school, I found out that I could heal people. I always helped people, and this allowed me to go even further. It took a while to get the hang of it, but once I did, I became the doctor's little helper. My Aura strengthened the more I used it to help people, and I was able to help more.

"Flash forward one year," He turns his head towards Weiss and gives her a smile, "I met Weiss Schnee." Reaching for his hoodie, he pulled out the small device that he had when he first met RWBY. Pushing the button, the same video recording played for all of them to see. As the recording showed, Jackson reached for Weiss' hand and held it, trying to make it through the video without breaking down. Weiss was surprised at first, but she soon accepted it, even squeezing his hand, realizing she also needs to keep herself from breaking down as well.

Once the recording finished, Jackson put it back in his hoodie pocket, and resumed.

…

" _Weiss and I met through our parents. Before my mom had decided to come here, she was very close friends with Ms. Schnee. Hell, they were practically sisters. When Ms. Schnee heard that my mom was at the new village, she decided to pay a visit, and she brought her ten-year-old daughter with her. After that, they visited every month, sometimes twice a month if it fit in their schedule. Every time they came to visit, Weiss and I always did something together, whether it was painting, playing with the pets, or singing in a duet. Every time she came to visit, we had the time of our lives, doing the silliest things._

" _Vale caught wind of the village when they found the Schnees landing in the middle of nowhere, and they tried to assist us. But we didn't want any help from the kingdoms, we were doing just fine on our own, it was also the whole point of coming here and building Elpída. But Vale wouldn't budge. Using their power, as well as the help of the other three Kingdoms, they were able to get their hands on the identities of the people who volunteered. Because they were in such a dangerous portion of the Emerald Forest, They had set up a bank account for each person who volunteered to go, putting 12,500 Lien each. They thought it was enough for that individual, moreso for a couple, if anything were to happen to the village, and they were forced to head for a Kingdom seeking asylum._

" _We begrudgingly agreed, but under one condition. We always looked out for each other until the end, and we figured out a way to make it so they looked out for us after death. If anyone with a bank account passed away, the money in their account would be equally distributed to the other remaining members of the village, it wouldn't return into the Vale Bank, they would share it with us. Once all was said and done, a Bullhead was sent to our village, and representatives of Vale gave each person with a bank account a card connected directly to the amount in their account, and recommended they keep their cards on them at all times. The kids got an account and a card too, but it only had 750 Lien in them. We didn't care anyway, we never thought we'd use the credits."_

Jackson's voice began to crack. "Little did we know what would happen a few years later."

" _Almost four years after I met Weiss, my 14th birthday was coming up. I didn't think much of it, I never really celebrated my birthday, even as a kid. I enjoyed what I was doing to help others as it was, it felt a lot better to give than to receive. But that didn't stop the other people of Elpída. When my birthday came up, I treated it just like any other day, I helped the clinic as always, I participated in the garden, my usual schedule. But sometime around noon, while I was pulling out weeds in the garden, everything seemed to have gone quiet. Looking around me, the people I was helping seemed to have disappeared. I was so confused, so wiping off the dirt on my clothing, I walked out of the greenhouse, and out into the small village square, and what I saw completely floored me._

" _Standing in the center square, was every person in the village, every man, woman, and kid. In front of them was a table loaded with presents, a cake, and balloons tied to the ends of the table._ _ **"SURPRISE!"**_ _They all screamed. I couldn't believe it, the whole village threw me a birthday party, I felt overjoyed, but a little too spoiled for my taste."_

…

"What are you guys doing?" Jackson asked.

"What does it look like?" Jackson's father said. "We're throwing you a birthday party!"

"You know I don't really care about my birthday Dad," Jackson said. "It's what I say: I like giving a lot better than receiving."

Michael walked over to Jackson, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Son, you've done so much for this community, without even so much as asking for anything in return. Look at all these people Jackson, you've helped them all in some way. The doctors, the hunting group, the gardeners, the farmers, the teachers, your mother and I.

"Son, you've done so much more for all of us than we ever could have asked from you. You've saved these people's lives more than once with your semblance. We only built this place, you are what's kept this place from falling apart. I'm so proud of you Jackson, we all are. I've never been prouder, than having the honor to call you my son."

Jackson looked at everyone there. Everyone was giving warm smiles, thumbs up, nodding their heads. He began to tear up at all this kindness he was receiving, and looked back at his father.

"*sniff*, Thanks Dad," Jackson said, giving his father a bear hug. He then looked back at the crowd. "Thank you all. I don't deserve all this, but I won't complain."

Will walked up to him. "You're right Jack," he said. "You don't deserve this. You deserve so much more, but this was the best we could do. We hope you're okay with it."

"*sniff*, Hehe, it's more than I could ever ask for!" The crowd erupted into cheers, and began to start the celebration. As it was happening, Jackson's mother had come up from behind, and gave Jackson a squeeze.

"Happy birthday Jack!" She exclaimed, as she swung him around in the air. Jackson laughed and screamed as he was swung around like a doll. He may have been large, but his mother was surprisingly strong.

"Hahaha, Mom, stop! That's enough!" He exclaimed. His mother eventually complied, and put him down.

"Doh, I can't help it!" She said. "My little boy is growing up!"

"Mom!" Jackson playfully whined.

"Also," his mother added. "Weiss is on her way here!"

"Wait, really?" Jackson eagerly asked. "Where is she right now?"

"Well, they would've been here sooner," Melissa said, "But they had issues with the Bullhead bringing them here. It broke down at some point, and they're bringing another to them so they can get here."

"I can't wait!" Jackson said.

His mother chuckled. "Neither can she, her mother told me."

…

" _Hehe, I was so excited for Weiss to show up for my birthday. There was cake, presents, balloons, I felt like she would've loved it."_ Jackson's throat tightened,and it became difficult to get a word out, but he managed anyways. _"But we'd never get the chance to meet, because no one was guarding the wall._

" _As we were conversing and mingling, an explosion had rang out from the far side of the village. After recovering from the initial shock, everyone immediately sprang into action, arming themselves with bows and swords. But before anything happened, my dad had grabbed me and put me into one of the nearby houses, telling me to stay here, no matter what. I was scared shitless. I didn't know what was happening, or what would happen, and I just stayed in the house, fear rising every second._

" _I soon heard gunfire, which set off all kinds of alarms in my head. We had guns in the village, but we rarely used them, because the noise attracted a lot of attention, especially in the middle of nowhere. If guns were being fired, then that meant something was very wrong. I heard a scream right outside the door, and I knew it to be Will, and without thinking, I rushed out into the open world, and what I saw made the color drain from my face._

" _The whole village was alight. I've no clue how it started so quick, maybe there were molotovs, or Fire Dust crystals thrown and ignited. Either way, plumes of smoke were rising from the buildings. And lying in a heap was Will, mowed down by gunfire, and soaking in a pool of his own blood. Rex was nowhere to be seen, but I was too focused on the bloodied corpse that was my friend. Rushing over to him, I checked his neck for a pulse. It was very faint, but it was there. Pouring every ounce of Aura I had into him, I tried to save him, even though the only world I knew was burning down around me. I had the slightest shred of hope that I could save him. But it wasn't enough._

" _I was able to seal off most of the entry and exit wounds, but there was still severe internal bleeding going on. Will had looked at me, and gave me one last smile, before the life drained from his eyes, his heart slowly thumping to a stop. I was at a loss, Will had died right in front of me, after I put everything I had into saving him. So many emotions were curdling inside me: Grief, anguish, fear, loss, rage, I couldn't handle it. I bellowed out into the sky, and everything went black."_

At this point, Jackson was a near total wreck, tears were falling freely down his face, and his grip on Weiss' hand strengthened immensely, and it would've crushed it, had she not prepared a small glyph as a shield beforehand. Weiss, and the others as a matter of fact, weren't faring so well either. Some were in tears just like Jackson, and the rest were beginning to reach that stage.

"But something happened when I walked in on you guys," Jackson said. "That memory overload you saw me suffer from not only made me relive the event I just told you about, but it also unlocked new ones, ones I've been trying so hard to regain. I know there was a gap in my memory right after that, because I woke up in a different place from where I blacked out, and it was the break of dawn."

…

" _Something happened right after I screamed out and everything went to black. I felt immense pain, like I was being torn apart, and my mind became clouded. I felt like I couldn't breathe, my lungs were burning and my head was pounding, my heart trying to break out of my chest. I was being tortured by an unseen force, and for 10 seconds, I wished that I was killed where I stood, so I didn't have to suffer._

" _And all of a sudden, it stopped. As soon as it arrived, it disappeared. But I felt… different. Opening my eyes, everything was red. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, rage fueled me, all reasoning went out the window, and I felt like I was ready to tear someone to pieces. And I was just about to get that chance._

" _Turning a corner, a White Fang member ran right into me. He looked like he was about to yell at me, but his face of anger contorted into one of fear once he got a look at who he bumped into. Before he could even react, I ripped the sword from his side and ran him through. Yanking it out, he fell into a heap, gripping his chest as it pumped out blood. Now I was armed, and I was thirsty for blood. Grabbing the gun he had in his hands, I started my slaughter._

" _Every White Fang member I came across, I skewered like a shish-kabob or mowed down with extreme accuracy. There were even Grimm in the distance, also battling the White Fang members. At the time, I savored every kill, I laughed like a fucking psychopath as I saw them writhe in agony. But there was something weird, it was like I wasn't in control. I saw it, I felt it, but I didn't do it, I was somewhere else, my emotion taking over. I lost track of how many I killed, but one of them stuck out from the rest._

" _He was a tall man, wearing a black tux and a mask that only covered the top half of his face. Everything was red, so I couldn't figure out what his hair color was, but he had a pair of horns sticking out, like a bull. He had a different aura about him, like he demanded respect from others, and judging by his clothing, he was the leader. He saw me, and he was just as thrown off as the others, but he recovered quickly and immediately went on the offensive._

" _I only laughed and and met him in the middle, our swords clashing. Something was wrong with me, I knew it for a fact. Before, I never would've found the guts to kill someone, and I just slaughtered a small army. I was also moving with skill and purpose. I've been taught to fight with a sword and how to shoot a bow, but that didn't explain how I was performing now. We went back and forth, always switching from offensive to defensive, no one getting the edge over the other. But something changed. The man had put some distance between us, and grabbing the hilt of his sword, he began to glow, even that was visible in my blood vision. I had no clue what he was doing, until it was over._

" _In the blink of an eye, he covered the distance between us, and I felt something hit me in the gut. Looking down, I saw that the embedded his sword deep into my stomach, almost reaching the hilt of his blade. Looking back up, we stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, an intensity between us. He eventually pulled out his sword, and I felt my body slump to the floor. I didn't feel any pain, but I suddenly began to feel tired. I fell to my side, and my vision was beginning to fade, but I was able to make one last thing out before everything went to black._

" _The man was breathing heavily, and one other person ran up next to him. He was built, but a little on the short side, at least compared to the leader. He had pointed ears and a mask too. And right before I blacked out, I saw a black heel take up most of my vision, because someone was walking over me, a female. I didn't get to see them though, I only saw their heels and passed out."_

…

"I acted the same way here as I did back then, a monster with no remorse, only murder running through my mind. Thank God it wore off, but I wasn't prepared for what I'd see when I came to."

…

" _I woke up gasping for air, and breaking out into a cold sweat. I only remembered Will's death and everything before, nothing after that and before this moment. I looked around me, and my heart dropped._

" _Everything was in ruins. Houses were burned down, smashed, or still smoldering from the day before. I saw corpses littering the spaces in between, either bullet holes littering their body, or torn open by the Grimm. I threw up, disgusted and horrified at what I saw, and crying too. I was a fucking mess. I stood up, and walked around the remains of Elpída. Everything was gone. My home, my friends, *shaky voice* my parents. I went to my house in Elpída to see what remained of my life. When I got there, almost nothing stood. The house was burned to the ground, only a few wooden posts standing from the frame of the house. Walking through the ash and soot, I looked at the foundation of the house, reminiscing the memories I had here. Then, my foot struck something. Looking down, covered in ash, was a chest, my dad's chest. Kneeling down, I opened it up, and what was inside nearly tore my heart in two._

" _Lying in the box was a bow, the same one my dad used during his hunting expeditions. It was in pristine condition for its age and use, and not a speck of ash was on it, the bright brown color contrasting from the bleak grey area. My hands began to tremble as I gripped it with all my might. This was now my only link to my father, and the life I had here. I don't know how long I stayed like that, but by the time I came to, the sun was now well up in the sky, but clouds began to roll in, and small droplets began to drop down. I couldn't stay there, there was too little to stay for, and too much that I lost. Grabbing the bow, I left, into the wilderness, card in pocket, dead inside."_

…

"That was it," Jackson said, his voice shaky. "I didn't look back, and I didn't know what would come afterwards. All I knew was that I would find those responsible, and make them pay. And here I am three years later, now with the fucking culprit."

RWBY and JNPR stood there, silently crying as they heard what Jackson has been through.

"These last three years was spent looking for those responsible, and I've spent a fortune on info brokers, hoping to find a connection to that day." He looks over at Ruby. "That's why I have so much money, because of the system we put in place. Because my body wasn't found among the destruction, I was labeled as 'MISSING' and not 'DECEASED', and because I wasn't dead, that made me the only logical conclusion for the database to pass the deceased's funds to. When I first went into Vale to begin my search, I remembered about the Lien card I had, and swiping it through an ATM, I found 1.64 million Lien in my account. I was surprised to see it there, I figured they would've taken back the money when they finally declared me dead after their failed search party.

"There, now you know my story. Now you know why I was in the woods, why I acted the way I did a week ago, but that's no excuse for what I did to you guys. I'm, *choke*, I'm sorry." Jackson began to cry again, but something collided with him, wrapping their arms around him.

"No Jackson," Ruby said. "Don't be sorry, it was my fault. *gasp* I had no idea what happened to you, and I'm the one that pushed everyone to do the whole thing. If I had just listened to you and Weiss, this wouldn't have happened."

"*sniff* Don't beat yourself up Ruby," Jackson said. "You didn't know because I never bothered to tell you. You and others have asked about my past, but I wasn't ready to bring it up just, and look where it got us. If I had just told you from the beginning, I wouldn't have come that close to…to… _killing you_."

Jackson and Ruby stayed like that, crying in each other's arms, trying to comfort the other.

"I know what it feels like Jackson," Ruby whispered. "I lost my mom at a young age."

Jackson stopped, and pushed Ruby away, looking Ruby in the eye. "Oh my god Ruby," he said. "I'm so sorry."

"*sniff* Hehe, what are you sorry for? You've been through a lot worse. We just heard it."

"Forget what I've been through, what about you? No one cares what I've been through."

"I do!"

"Me too Jackson," Weiss said, placing a hand on his shoulder, tears still falling from her face. The tears made her crystal blue eyes sparkle, as she gave Jackson a smile. Jackson never noticed it before, but she looked…beautiful. The tears could do nothing to obstruct that.

"*sniff*, Thanks guys," Jackson said. Suddenly, he began to feel very tired, the story having taken a lot out of him. He was also very hungry, as an audible grumble could be heard coming from his stomach.

Weiss heard this. "Don't worry Jackson, I'll go grab you something to eat from the Mess Hall," she said. "Come on guys, let's leave him alone for a while, let him collect himself." Heads began to nod around the room, agreeing with the idea. "Blake, could you come with me to help carry some of the food?" Weiss asked. Blake silently nodded, and followed Weiss as she walked out of the room. Soon the others followed suit, not uttering a word to Jackson, but nodded their heads in his direction and gave him a small wave goodbye. Soon, Jackson was alone, and everything was quiet. He decided to take a quick nap before Weiss came back with food.

…

Weiss and Blake were heading to the Mess Hall, while the remainder of RWBY and team JNPR returned to their respective dorms. The hallways were deserted, everyone was either in their dorms or in the Mess Hall, right where Weiss and Blake were going.

"Thank you for accompanying me Blake," Weiss said. "Jackson eats more than Ruby devours cookies, and because he's been out for a week, I need an extra hand to carry it."

"It's no problem Weiss," Blake responded. "After hearing what Jackson has been through, I agree that he needs some time to himself to think things over. Christ, the things he's seen…"

Weiss nodded her head. "Yes, he's been through a lot, more than most people will experience in their lifetime. Although, there's one thing that's been bugging me about it. I've had the thought for a while, but it wasn't until just recently that I may have found an answer to it."

"Really?" Blake asked. "What is it?"

Before Blake could even blink, Weiss grabbed her arm and slammed her against the wall. She didn't even so much as process what just happened before Weiss had her rapier pulled out, pointed towards the space in her mandible, prodding the soft spot with the tip.

"Were you there?" Weiss demanded, venom dripping from her voice.

Blake couldn't give her a proper response, her mind was a mess at the sudden turn of events. "Weiss, wait-"

Weiss applied more pressure, not enough to do significant damage, but enough to start drawing blood. " _Were. You._ _ **There?**_ "

Blake began to cry, and silently nodded her head. Weiss' rapier fell from the lack of strength in her arm, as her worst fear was just confirmed. Now no longer held up against the wall, Blake slowly slid down, clamping her mouth with her hands as she continued to cry.

Weiss didn't know what to do. Standing in front of her was one of those responsible for what they did to Jackson, her closest friend, but she was also her friend. She was just as shocked when she first found out that not only was she a faunus, but she used to be a part of the White Fang. She was furious at her, but over time, she realized Blake was trying to redeem herself for her past actions, and as time went on, the more Weiss began to see Blake as a friend, instead of an enemy. But she couldn't ignore what she did, especially in the state of mind Jackson's in right now.

Blake looked up at Weiss, tears flowing down her face. "*gasp* What do you plan on doing now?" She asked. "Are you gonna tell everyone the truth? Have them turn their backs on me for my actions against Jackson and his mental instability?"

Weiss really did consider telling others the truth about what happened, but thought against it. What good would it do now? What's done is done, and to bring it up would just make it worse for everyone involved. Plus, like Blake has said before, She's making an effort to redeem herself from her past sins. She doesn't know how long it'll take until Blake thinks she's made up for it, but it looks like it'll be a while.

"No, I'm not going to tell the others," Weiss said. "It would do more harm than good, and you're trying to repent for your sins. The problem is Jackson." Blake was relieved to hear that she would keep this a secret, but when Weiss brought up Jackson, she began to get nervous.

"What you did three years ago was too much for him," Weiss said. "It was unthinkable, inhumane, monstrous. You took away his whole world, I was the only thing in his life that came from outside those walls, and I thought he was dead. _You broke him._ He knows the White Fang are responsible for the attack, but I know for an absolute certainty that his focus is going to be placed on those three people he saw in his memory, you and those other two. He's going to do everything in his power to find those three, and make them pay. If he were to find out that you were there…" Weiss didn't have to finish her sentence for Blake to get a good idea of what would happen.

"*sniff* Thank you Weiss, you have no idea how much this means-"

"Hold up," Weiss said in a cold tone. "I said I'd keep this a secret, that doesn't mean things haven't changed between us." Blake's heart dropped.

"When my older sister decided to join the Atlas military, the heiress burden was placed on me. My childhood was practically ripped away from me at a young age, so my father could prepare me for my future position as CEO of our company. Jackson was one of the very few things I had that allowed me to let loose and be who I am, rather than being taught on how to act like a 'lady'. He was most likely the only person I knew that was my friend for who I was, and not for the family I belonged to. He liked me for my singing, my art skills, my personality, instead of the money and power that came with my name. And he was taken from me. I was devastated, my closest friend was gone for _three years_. _Three years_ where I thought he was dead, wiped off the face of Remnant, leaving me truly alone in the world, surrounded by corporate scapegoats and fucking snakes.

"You didn't just hurt Jackson, Blake. You hurt me too." Tears threatened to escape her eyes, and Weiss immediately walked down the hallway and out of sight, leaving Blake to wallow in her self-guilt, regretting her decisions more and more as the seconds passed by.

…

Cinder and her two misfits were walking out of the Mess Hall, content with how things have gone lately.

After Adam voiced his concerns about this Jackson character, they've made an effort to observe him from a distance, mainly in Combat Class. And frankly, what they saw had disappointed them. For the past month, Jackson had done very poorly in combat, and in classes. He's struggled to focus on the lectures given by the professors, and almost every fight he's taken part in, he would come out the victor, but by sheer luck. His movement was sluggish, and his attacks were sloppy, leaving openings for attacks, which most people exploited. He even had problems with that Arc fellow, who couldn't even so much as pour water out of a boot, with the instructions written on the heel, to save his life.

"Well that's a shame," Mercury said. "I thought about going up against him, but it looks like ol' Taurus made him out to be more than he actually was."

"Yes," Cinder replied. "This past month of observing has been rather disappointing, to say the least. But it's nice to know that he won't be any issue, even if he should find out about our plans."

The group kept conversing amongst themselves while other students began to trickle out of the Mess Hall. As more students began to pass them, they were all talking about something. Some came out as whispers, and others had spoken of it rather excitedly, and it all had one recurring theme: Jackson.

Cinder's group eventually noticed this, and they decided to confront someone about it. Picking a random student from the crowd, Mercury had stopped them in their tracks to ask about what's been going around.

"Hey pal," Mercury called out, one of the students taking notice. "What's with all the gossip? My friends and I keep hearing the name Jackson pop up in each conversation."

"You haven't heard?" The student asked.

"If we had heard of it, we wouldn't be asking about it right now bud," Mercury rebutted.

"Last week, Jackson took on Teams RWBY and JNPR in some sort of fight, all on his own, and almost handed their asses to them on a silver platter."

"What?" It was Emerald who spoke up. "As in, the Jackson with the Grimm for a pet? There's no way that was him, he could barely handle one person in the ring."

"I know, crazy right?" The student asked. "Another first-year team was chilling out in their dorm, when he crashed through their wall, and landed in the middle of their room. When they looked through the gaping hole in the wall, they saw a member of Team RWBY standing with her arm outstretched, breathing heavily. She didn't look too good, and they saw other people knocked out on the floor near her, with a broken window behind her. They all looked terrible, and only two were standing.

"Not only that, but there were other students walking outside at around the same time, when they heard a window shatter, and Pyrrha Nikos slammed into the walkway right in front of them, cracking the concrete under her. They immediately took her to the infirmary, and they saw RWBY and the rest of JNPR there too, bandages and ice packs covering them. Jackson was worse for wear though, he ended up breaking a few ribs and staying in a room for recovery. But who could blame him? The girl hit him with such force, he crashed through a door and three walls before coming to a stop in the team's room."

"Do you honestly expect us to believe that?" Cinder asked the student.

"Don't take my word for it. Go over to RWBY's dorm, and you'll see all the proof you'll need, and look out their window if you still don't think it's enough. I gotta go, see you around!" Before they could question him further, he was already gone.

Emerald turned to the others. "You guys think it's true?" She asked.

"Only one way to find out," Mercury replied. "Let's go pay a visit."

Sure enough, once they found RWBY's dorm hallway, the student's story seemed to hold up. Walking up to their door, or rather, where it should be, they found splintered wood scattering the floor, and three blown-out walls, just like the kid said. But they still had some doubts, especially about Pyrrha. So, stepping into the room, they saw the broken window, and looking out into the ground below, they saw a piece of the walkway cracked up, pieces of the outer portion chipped off.

They walked out of the hallway, processing this new information about Jackson that hadn't been visible before. Then Emerald spoke up, speaking what was on their minds. "Looks like Jackson was more than we thought, a lot more."

Cinder hated to admit it, but she was right. It seems that he's not only more than capable of taking care of himself, but he's able to face off eight-on-one, and do some serious damage. If he were to catch wind of what they were doing, especially since he's affiliated with Team RWBY, he poses a serious threat to them, and their plans.

"We'll need to keep observing him, but no interactions with him, only in the ring. I'll call Adam, and tell him about what happened, keep him performing our backup plan.

"In the meantime, I'll take care of him," Cinder said in a seductive tone. "I'm sure I can convince him to… assist us."

…

Weiss was walking back with a box of food for Jackson, and when she returned to the room, she found Jackson sitting upright, with an open box on his lap, ribbon scattered about. He was looking down at the open box, crying, but he was smiling as well. Walking into the room, Jackson took notice of her presence and gave her a small wave.

"Hey Weiss," Jackson said, in a sad/happy tone.

"Hi Jackson," Weiss responded, placing the box of food on the nightstand next to him. "Why are you crying?"

Jackson instinctively reached up towards his face, and sure enough, his face felt wet. "Heh, I didn't even know I was crying until you pointed it out. *sniff* Take a look at this." Reaching into the box, he pulled out a rifle, more importantly, Jackson's rifle, looking good as new.

"Khvostov," Weiss said. "How did you get it?"

"Well," Jackson started, "I was taking a nap when you went out to grab me a bite to eat, and when I came to, I found a neatly wrapped box on my lap. There was a note card attached to the bow, and it said: _Happy late birthday Jackson. -Ruby._ I opened it up, and lo and behold, it was Khvostov, polished up and in pristine condition. Even after what I did to her and her friends, she still came through on her promise to fix him up."

Khvostov had changed dramatically since Jackson last saw it. It was dull and rusted in multiple places, and now it looked like it was fresh off the assembly line. It shined in the sunlight, and felt perfect in his grip. The melee transformation was smooth and quick, and the sight still remained in its cracked state. However, Ruby added something else to it. There was a small button added near the trigger, right next to the fire modes, that when pushed, the broken sight breaks off into two separate pieces, serving as magnifying lenses, extending away from each other. The red dot sight still functions properly, and now it provides a 15x zoom capacity, and the crack does little to hinder his aim. Also, when Khvostov was in its axe form, there was now a barrel right on top of the head of the axe that lines up with the handle, a small trigger right where one would grip it to fire off some rounds. It looks like this aspect took after Crescent Rose's function in melee form.

Weiss smiled, but it seemed forced. "That's great Jackson," she said. "You seem to really care about Ruby, and what she' done for you."

"She's a good kid," Jackson responded. "She was the first person to accept me so quickly, and everything she's done was what she thought was in my best interest. Khvostov, the birthday party, *sigh* I really don't deserve to call her my friend. I've done nothing but hurt her, in more ways than just physical. She's just pure. So far, she's always seemed to see the good in everything, even after she's been done wrong."

"Hm, well that's Ruby for you," Weiss said. "She's always been the light of the group, always cheering us up anytime we were feeling down."

Jackson nodded. "Ruby's a good friend, although she seems rather affectionate, but I'm sure that's just her personality. She's going to make someone very happy someday, that is, if they somehow manage to get through Yang." Both of them chuckled at the most-likely true scenario. It seems like Yang would go up against an army to keep Ruby safe.

"Well, here's your food Jackson, I'm pretty sure you're starving at this point, since you've been in a small coma, for the second time, might I add. I'll leave you to it." Weiss began to walk out, but was stopped by Jackson.

"What, you're gonna leave me here strapped to the bed, all by my lonesome?" Weiss could only smile and shake her head at Jackson's silly attempt to keep her here, but it worked nonetheless.

"Fine, I suppose I can stay for a while," she responded. Pulling up a seat next to his bedside, they began to dig into the food Weiss had brought the Mess Hall. It was loaded with sandwiches, chips, bottles of water, and some fruit. They spent well over half an hour eating, just talking to each other, about what happened in the last three years for each other, though what Weiss had to say was far more interesting than what Jackson could ever conjure up. Soon, they finish their food, and Weiss begins to stand up and leave, but Jackson grabs her arm, keeping her from progressing any further towards the door.

"One last thing," Jackson said. He began to blush a bit. "I know it's an embarrassing question ask, but…would you mind singing for me? It's been three years since I've heard you sing, and, well, I really miss the sound of you voice in song."

Weiss was surprised at his request, but it also tugged at her heart strings, knowing that even during those three years, he still thought of her, and missed her and her songs. She felt like she was ready to cry again, but she controlled herself, and gave Jackson a sweet, sincere smile, a rare thing to occur according to her team.

"Of course Jackson," Weiss said. "Do you have a song in mind?"

"From our childhood, the one we always sang together." The emotional dams were really being pushed to their limits now.

"I'd love to," Weiss said. Clearing her voice, she began to sing a memory of their past.

 _ **Matisyahu- One Day**_

" _Sometimes I lay, under the moon,_

 _And thank God I'm breathing,_

 _Then I pray, don't take me soon,_

' _Cause I am here for a reason."_

Anytime Weiss came to visit them, most of the time they would stay overnight, and leave sometime the next morning. Jackson and Weiss would find each other sometime during the night, or at the beginning of dusk, and they would sing this song. They both had the same dream, to change the world for the better, although Weiss would have the greater capability to do so. Jackson, he didn't know what he'd do to help the world, he still had to break out of these walls and explore it. But that didn't stop him from dreaming big, he's had these visions of becoming an amazing doctor with his newfound abilities, helping cure people from all over Remnant. The song held a special place in their hearts, and Jackson decided to join in.

" _Sometimes in my tears I drown,_

 _But I never let it get me down,_

 _So when negativity surrounds,_

 _I know some day it'll all turn around because…"_

Weiss was surprised to hear Jackson take over the second set of verses, but she didn't mind at all. In fact, she welcomed Jackson's singing, he's improved greatly since they last sung together. Then again, he's had nothing but time on his hands for the last three years. Weiss joined Jackson in singing the rest of the song.

" _All my life I've been waiting for,_

 _I've been praying for,_

 _For the people to say,_

 _That we don't wanna fight no more,_

 _There'll be no more wars,_

 _And our children will play,_

 _One day, one day, one day (x2)"_

Their duet was one of legends among the village. Anytime the two came together for a song, they would always perform phenomenally. Also, this brought back fond memories from both of their childhoods, back when Jackson still had one, and when Weiss was allowed to be a kid. Both looked at each other and smiled, as they did one of the many things they loved doing.

Their song soon came to a close, and they looked at each other, emotions swelling up within each of them. Fondness, longing, nostalgia, reminiscence. Jackson began to grow tired again, the story he told still having a toll on him, as well as a food coma kicking in from eating.

"*yawn*, Thank you Weiss," He said. "Your voice is still as angelic as ever. I'm going to rest, I'll see you later." With that, Jackson closed his eyes, and fell into a peaceful slumber.

Weiss waited for a few minutes, wanting to make sure Jackson was truly asleep. She began to blush, and when she felt sure he was asleep, she leaned in, and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. She quickly pulled back, and smiled at his calm and undisturbed state, and began to exit the room. "Sleep well, Jackson. Weiss left the room, and it wasn't until Weiss' footsteps began to recede into the hallway did Jackson allow himself to finally smile.

 _'I knew it.'_

...

AN: **And that's Special Chapter #2! Firstly, JESUS CHRIST RWBY VOLUME 4 IS COMING OUT IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS! Secondly, I want to thank all you guys who have been following my story, whether it be anonymously or with an account. It's been such an amazing thing to see you guys take an interest in my story and take the time out of your day to read what I've written. So far, this story hasn't gotten that many reviews, but those that have been given have done so much for me. I honestly wouldn't have had the drive to go this far with my story if I hand't gotten those reviews, and some of you guys sending me messages, expressing your interest in the story and what has yet to come. I've rambled on for long enough, Follow, Favorite, Review, and I will see you all in the next chapter of Dead Man Walking!**


	12. Mountain Glenn: Insertion

AN: **Hey guys, welcome back to Dead Man Walking! 100,000 words, I can't believe it! In just 12 measly chapters, I broke six digits! Shoutout to cloth slayer for following/favoriting the story, let's begin!**

…

Jackson laid in the hospital bed, thankfully without the straps this time, waiting for his nurse to check him out. He could have left sooner, but the nurses asked that he stay in bed for a few more days to allow his ribs to properly mend and heal. When he came to, his ribs were fine, but they were fresh and very tender, so he agreed and remained bedridden for a few more days. RWBY and JNPR came to visit him for the extra few days he decided to stay. Their attitude about him from the…incident, and they were much more understanding of him after hearing his story. Even Yang seemed more, accepting of him. She wasn't as harsh to him as she was before, and her face wasn't in a constant scowl when they met.

As for Ruby, it's like what happened never occurred, but Jackson still didn't trust himself. He couldn't act as relaxed around her anymore, because while what happened just so happened on the worst possible day of the year, it terrified him that he was capable of killing someone with his bare hands, especially a friend. Anytime Ruby came to visit him, whether with her friends or by herself, Jackson would always grip the side of his bed, not wanting his hands free to move about.

Before he could dwell in it any further, a knock came from his door. After it opened, they revealed themselves to be the nurse that looked over Jackson during his time in the infirmary.

"Mr. Wesson," she said. "I'm happy to inform you that you are now free to leave the infirmary. You can gather any remaining items of yours at the front desk, as well as sign out there."

Jackson smiled at the nurse. "Thank you miss, I'll be out of your hair soon."

She chuckled. "Thank goodness, I have enough problems with that CRDL group. Honestly, it's like they live here."

Jackson could only laugh, since he took part in sending them here more than once. "You'd think they'd have learned their lesson by now, almost every time they end up here is for the same reason."

"They better learn it soon," she said. "I'm just about ready to stick them in a room and let them deal with it themselves."

"Hehe, have a good day miss," Jackson said.

"You too." She left his room to check in on the other patients. Jackson got out of the bed, in his usual attire minus the hoodie, the hoodie placed on a chair next to him. After putting it on and grabbing his things, he left the room and headed for the front desk. The receptionist noticed him as he walked up to her, and gave him a smile.

"Hello," she said. "Are you checking out?"

"Indeed I am," Jackson said. "Jackson Wesson."

"Wesson…Wesson…Aha! Checked in March 25th?"

Jackson visibly flinched at the date mention. "Yeah…that's me."

"I have a bow that belongs to you," she said. "Let me go get it real quick." Pushing off the desk, she used the swivel chair as a mode of transportation to the door behind her, closing it as soon as she passed the threshold. While she was busy looking for Apóllon, Jackson noticed a bowl of candy placed on the counter. It wasn't just any old candy, it was the special candy, wrapped up and looked like a strawberry from the wrapper. When no one was looking, Jackson grabbed about ten of them and stuffed it in his pocket.

Just as he finished taking the candy, the receptionist came back through the door, with Apóllon in hand. "Here we go," she said. "One Bear recurve bow."

She handed Jackson the bow, and he took it, but the receptionist kept her grip on Apóllon, and pulled Jackson in closer. "One more thing, Headmaster Ozpin wanted me to tell you that you are to go to his office as soon as you check out of the infirmary. He'd like to speak with you." Jackson nodded, and she let go of the bow, allowing him to be on his way. He left the infirmary, and stepped out into the open world.

It was a bright and sunny day, March having ended and April beginning. They had mainly moved past the rainy phase, though there would still be a drizzle from time to time. But for the most part, it seemed like today would be a clear day. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, he looked up at the tall monument that was the centerpiece of Beacon Academy, and made his way towards Ozpin's office.

…

Ozpin was currently looking through the online roster placed for the students, when he heard the elevator ding, and saw Jackson step out from the cabin, revolver holstered and bow in hand.

"Hello Jackson," Ozpin said.

"Hello," he replied. "You wanted to speak with me Professor Ozpin?"

"Indeed I did." Shutting off the monitor, he turned his attention towards Jackson, standing up out of his seat and walking to the window behind him.

"Almost two weeks ago, I gave you the rest of the day off to…collect yourself, and to do what needed to be done.

"You had gone off campus, into the surrounding forest, and did not return for nearly three and a half hours. Meanwhile, I found Weiss Schnee running all around campus, in an attempt to find you. And when you returned, teams RWBY and JNPR had planned you a small birthday party. However, things didn't go as planned, blows were exchanged, and you ended up in the infirmary with broken ribs, and two teams with minor injuries and a concussion. When the staff arrived to find the racket, they found a broken window, splintered wood that belonged to a door littering the door, and three walls blown out, leading into another team's dorm room. Never have I seen just one student cause such damage, to property AND to others."

Jackson feared this would happen after he recovered. At best, he'd be expelled, and that'd be that. At worst, not only would he be expelled, he'd be charged with destruction of private property, aggravated assault, and attempted murder. He could plead insanity, which is somewhat true, but he'd most likely be sent to some mental asylum for rehabilitation. What Ozpin says next would determine his fate.

"Because of everything that happened, to you and the others, I'd like to sincerely apologize."

…What?

"…What?"

"I feel like I played a rather large role in what happened then," Ozpin answered. "Teams RWBY and JNPR came into my office that day, and were asking for information from the way you were acting. Not only were they quite aware of what happened in the morning with Yang, they also heard about what happened to Mr. Winchester during lunch the same day, although they had no solid evidence to blame you, nor myself, since Mr. Winchester came into the infirmary with nothing but a faint scar on the palm of his hand."

Jackson sheepishly scratched the back of his head at the mention of that, but didn't reveal anything.

"But I digress. They were concerned about your well being, and were hoping to gain some insight to your behavior. I am fully aware of what happened to you Mr. Wesson, and I felt like such information was not mine to disclose. But team RWBY are a determined bunch, I've been made well aware of it during their time here at Beacon. I informed them that it was your birthday, and I didn't quite get the opportunity to speak any further before they were already plotting. Ms. Schnee had told the group to not do anything until she returned, and immediately left, but it seems none of them had paid attention to her warning.

"At first, I hadn't thought much of their plan, a small celebration, I hoped it would lift your spirits. But I was terribly wrong, as it's now evident. I didn't know the true extent of the psychological damage done that day. I'm sorry Jackson, I truly am, I shouldn't have told them anything. It would have been better if it were you who had told them on your own terms, when you were ready, and not inadvertently forcing your hand."

Jackson had to process this new information. He originally thought it was Weiss that told them it was his birthday, but then continued on with telling them not to do anything. But the reasons were the same, the team kept pressing, and they were trying to find the most trivial piece of information regarding that day, in hopes of appeasing them. But they didn't know they'd go this far with the information, especially in such a short amount of time. Jackson had every right to be upset at Ozpin, furious even. However, he couldn't bring himself to that, even if he tried. Jackson understood that team RWBY were a stubborn group of girls, the past month had proven that, especially with some of the most trivial matters anyone could conjure up.

"*sigh*, It's alright Ozpin, you didn't know what they'd do with the info. It's just-" Jackson's throat began to tighten. "The way they had it set up…it looked exactly like back in the village…"

Ozpin could see that it was still a very sensitive subject to speak of. He could understand his dismay. "I understand Jackson, you don't have to speak of it if you don't wish to. Again, I really do apologize for my actions, though I don't feel like it's enough, at least for my own conscious."

"Really Ozpin, it's alright," Jackson insisted. "I'm just thankful that everyone came out of it alive. It could've been _much_ worse."

Ozpin silently nodded, taking a swig from his mug. "In any case, you and the others are now back to full capacity, thankfully. Now, time to get a move on if you plan on catching team RWBY before they leave."

"Leave?" Jackson asked. "Where are they going?"

"Have you not heard?" Ozpin asked. "Students are getting their first official mission of the year."

How did Jackson not hear about this? Something as important and exciting as a student's first mission should have word spreading around like wildfire.

"Every team will be accompanied by a veteran Huntsman or Huntress, and will spend a fair amount of time wherever they are assigned, some longer than others. Also, you will be needed for team RWBY's mission."

"What will they need me for?" Jackson asked. "We're first year students, I doubt you're going to send us anywhere dangerous, we have yet to learn so much, so we don't die out there."

"That's where it gets interesting," Ozpin said. "Team RWBY has been assigned to a higher level mission, accompanied by Bartholomew Oobleck. They've been assigned to a Search and Destroy mission at Mountain Glenn, located in the southeast region. The only reason they've been able to take this mission, is that whether or not they were able to get their hands on this mission, they would find their way to the southeast regardless. If you want answers, then it'll have to be from them, though you better hurry, teams are now beginning to depart for their assignments."

Jackson nodded. "Thank you Ozpin, I'll be sure to ask them about it." Without another word, Jackson dashed back to the elevator, and made his way back down.

…

 _Beacon Campus_

 _11:53 am_

Jackson was currently making his way towards the docks, since that where the teams are departing from, at a brisk pace, somewhere between a jog and a full-blown sprint. Going over what Ozpin told him, something fishy was going on within the team, as they seem to have this avid interest in the southeast region, for whatever reason. Once Jackson arrives at the docks, Ruby will most likely be ecstatic in his participation of their assignment, Yang will probably protest to his arrival, if only a little. Blake is a mystery, he can never seem to see what's going on behind that face, which seems to be set in stone as a blank canvas of an expression. Weiss will somehow be a mixture of all three, excitement, and hesitation, all while attempting to hide it from him and the others.

 _ **Speaking of Weiss…**_

' _God dammit, I thought I finally got rid of you.'_

 _ **Oh you can't get rid of me Jackson, I'm always around. Besides, you had a lot on your plate for the last few chapters. I figured you could get a break from me and focus on burning that bridge.**_

' _Oh, you warm my soul with your generosity. I simply cannot thank you enough for leaving me be.'_

 _ **Yeah yeah, enough with your sarcasm, let's get back to the Sexy Snowflake.**_

As much as Jackson hated to admit it, he did indeed have feelings for Weiss.

 _ **I can already hear the RubyxJackson sailors cry out in dismay, as they attempt to salvage what they can of their ship.**_

' _Shut up!'_

As much as he hated to admit it, it was true, no matter how he worded it. What happened a few days back, with Weiss' display of affection towards him while he was what she thought was sleeping, made his heart beat faster a-hundred-fold. It seemed that Weiss felt the same way, at least that's what Jackson was hoping for.

From the very beginning, Jackson felt something since he met Weiss, but he was never able to put his finger on it. It did start as a close friendship, but as it developed, so did his feelings for her. It wasn't until the destruction of his village four years later did Jackson finally realize what this feeling was: Love. Every day after that, at some point, his mind would wander back to Weiss, about what could've happened if she did show up for his birthday, and it would always drive him to the brink of full-blown insanity. Yes, what happened to the village was traumatizing and horrific, something no one should ever bear witness to. But if he lost Weiss…

The very thought alone caused his vision to flicker red for a moment, before he was able to get it under control. Regardless, Weiss made him feel something he never felt towards any other girl, not even Ruby. Yes, Ruby was sweet, energetic, and a fairly attractive individual, but she was just so…young. Jackson would feel more awkward than lucky if he did go out with her. Not only that, but even if he did like her, it would be the literal death of him. Yang would most likely brutally castrate him if she caught the faintest whiff of Ruby feels from him. Going back to Weiss, while he did like her, there was one small problem.

What the _fuck_ is he going to do?

It's been three years since he's interacted with any other human being outside of gaining information. The only two people he's actually talked to is Junior and Gage. Junior is a barkeep, and they've never hung out outside of his club, or really hang out at all. And as far as Jackson is concerned, Gage was even worse. He's heard some rumors among Junior and his henchmen, none of them very flattering. Gage was a rather isolated individual, and according to loose lips, Gage would fold anytime a woman would talk to him, and that was if he could get the woman to begin with.

Not only that, but Weiss was different from most girls, the biggest one being she literally has everything at her fingertips. She's the heiress to the largest Dust company, hell, the largest company, _period,_ in all of Remnant. What do you get a girl that has everything? What could you possibly get them that they don't already own, or could get with the snap of their fingers? He could maybe try and draw something, whip something up during their assignment of afterwards, but Jackson is very hesitant about showing off his work, even towards Weiss, mainly because she set the bar quite high. From a young age, Weiss excelled in drawings and paintings, putting much attention to the small details within each portrait, much more than Jackson bothered to do. It was because of her attention to detail that Jackson made an effort to improve his drawing skills, and his time in the forest gave him nothing but that exactly, time, to work and improve it.

He'd never admit it to anyone, let alone show them, but in Jackson's pack for the assignment, he had a sketchbook safely stored away, so as to not have it bend or have any pages accidentally get torn out, along with a few pencils. Also stored within the sketchbook, there was the photo of him and Weiss as kids, showing off their art, covered in paint. The pack itself was a string backpack, very light in containing items, only the sketchbook , pencils, and some reading material. He even brought Khvostov along, dying to see how the rifle fares on the field. As he arrived to the docks, he saw team RWBY, as well as Oobleck, walk towards the nearest Bullhead, presumably to take them to the southeast region. Also, he didn't notice Ruby's pack wriggle as she made her way towards her transport.

"Hey!" Jackson called out, which caused the group to turn and face him. "You guys weren't thinking of leaving me behind, were you?"

"Jackson!" Ruby exclaimed. Using her semblance, she practically tackled him to the ground, the pack doing nothing but aid her in Jackson's tumble. Thankfully, he was able to keep his balance, though just barely.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "We thought you'd still be lying in the bed."

"Yeah, well. Like I said, I'm a stubborn kid," Jackson said. "I wasn't about to lie in bed and let you guys have all the fun. Besides, according to Ozpin, you might need some backup."

"Indeedmisterwesson!" Oobleck exclaimed, suddenly next to them as well, a part of the conversation. "Where we are heading is a very dangerous location, civilians and Huntsmen alike. RWBY and myself would greatly appreciate the extra set of hands."

"So it's decided," Jackson said. "Let's go back to the others and tell them." Ruby nodded and began walking back to the rest of the group. After speaking to WBY about it, Weiss was the only person that was hesitant of letting him go on this trip, due to just getting out of the infirmary. Blake and Yang did not say a word, so at this point, it was three-against-one. With that, they began boarding the Bullhead, already departing for Mountain Glenn.

"Now students," Oobleck said. "I have taken the liberty to pack the essentials for this group in terms of food, water, and sleeping bags during our trip. Any luggage you may have decided to bring along will not be needed, and I recommend you leave them here in the Bullhead. I will be in the cockpit guiding the pilot where our desired location is. Converse amongst yourself, do as you see fit to pass the time." He soon left the group to themselves as he entered the cockpit, and a silence fell among the cabin.

Jackson decided to break the silence. "So, you guys mind telling me why exactly you're all on this mission?"

That caught their attention. They all stood a bit straighter, and tensed up. Yang, surprisingly, was the one who answered his question. "We went to the digital mission roster, and we found one that we thought would peak our interest, although they didn't mention that Oobleck would be the one leading this expedition."

"Oh come on," Jackson said, at this point playing with them. "That can't be it. There were possibly hundreds on that roster, what made you choose this one?"

"It's a Grimm extermination mission," Ruby replied. "We get to kill monsters for an assignment, what's there to tell?"

"Why don't we start with your interest in the southeast region, and how this assignment was specifically meant for higher-level teams and not first-years, but you somehow managed to get it anyways?"

Jackson caught them red-handed. Even if he had no viable evidence for their real reason here, he had enough info to know that something weird was going on here. They all sighed and decided to tell him the truth, and fill him in on what they have planned.

…

Gage Sim was currently on his scroll, listening to the voice message that was left for him. It was given to him almost two weeks ago, but he's been much more busy with other things at hand that he hasn't found time to properly listen to it and do anything about it should it regard some sort of assignment. Now that he finally had the time to listen to it, he was absolutely fuming. Gage only brought the scroll away from his ear, before crushing it with his prosthetic. Quickly standing up, throwing the chair back, he started grabbing his weapons and gear, and started making his way out towards finding him.

"You are fucking _**dead**_ Jackson."

…

Beacon was well behind them by the time Jackson had been informed of their plan. They told him almost everything that occurred since their time at Beacon, even Blake's accidental reveal, though they had to re-word the latter a bit. RWBY found out about Jackson's severe hatred for the White Fang after his story, as well as Weiss' explanation during his weeklong coma. They decided to withhold that information from him for the time being, until they felt like he could properly handle the truth. However, Ruby and Yang are still oblivious to how much damage Blake has directly done to Jackson, only that she was a part of the White Fang at the time. They might've had their suspicions, but they must have discarded such ludicrous thoughts by now, otherwise they would've confronted her about it by now.

"Wait," Jackson said. "So what happened at the docks in Vale a few months ago, that was you guys?"

"Yep," Ruby said. "And a few others, it wasn't just us."

"That news was all over Vale!" Jackson exclaimed. "Word even got out to the other three Kingdoms, but it wasn't nearly as big as it was here. And you said there were others?"

"Yes," Blake said. "There were two other people at the event with us, Sun Wukong and Penny Polendina. You'll get to meet them eventually."

Another two hours had passed. During that time, the group began to exchange stories, mainly between RWBY as a whole and Jackson. RWBY would describe their experience so far at Beacon, and what happened at their own initiation, which impressed Jackson. They managed to take down not only a Nevermore, but a Deathstalker too. Then again, JNPR was also there to assist, but that didn't take away from the feat they achieved. As for Jackson, the stories he had to offer were similar to theirs, but different as well. While both of their stories had the same concept, overwhelming odds, triumph in the end, Jackson's experience was a bit more unforgiving. Every tale he told, he always came out of it with some sort of injury, whether mild or severe, even life-threatening, like when they first encountered him.

Ruby saw them as tales of an adventurer, being out in the wilderness with nothing but their trusty weapon and their wits to assist them. Her eyes sparkled with awe and wonder, while Weiss was more hesitant hearing the stories he told them, emanating some mild concern for him. Blake seemed uninterested, but she was listening to every word he had to say, and made small mental notes where she saw interesting. Yang on the other hand, was skeptical about it. Yes, she saw what happened to him when they first met, but some of the stories he heard seemed far fetched, plus he'd be dead if they didn't find him, so she didn't personally count that. The kind of things he's been through seemed too intense for anyone to make it through on their own, without any kind of medical assistance.

"Jackson, I don't mean to be the buzzkill," Yang started, "but some of the things you're telling us sound a little too far out there to be true."

Jackson stopped his storytelling, and looked at Yang. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean there's no way some of these stories are true!" Yang exclaimed. "From what I've heard so far, there were times where you were _this_ close to dying, and you miraculously manage to pull through? When we first met you, you would've died if we hadn't found you, and you're making it sound like you've experienced it before, and managed to fully recover. You're pulling a Port on us. I'm sorry Jackson, but I'm calling bullshit to your stories."

Jackson stopped his storytelling entirely, and turned his whole body towards Yang. "Look, I may have exaggerated one or two stories, but what I've told you guys is true, these things actually happened. I'm surprised you don't believe me Yang, you know just as well as the others that the Emerald Forest is a super-sketchy place to live in."

"Excuses excuses," Yang mocked. "Unless you have some sort of proof, I'm taking everything you say as something that's been blown out of proportions."

"You want proof Yang?" Yang nodded, a smirk on her face, dying to see how he'd defend his bullshit babbling.

"Alright then." Jackson stood up, and retracted his arms from the sleeves of his hoodie, pulling it off. He soon proceeded to do the same with his shirt, though with the ceramic plates weaved in, it took a bit longer to pull it off, but he managed nonetheless. Once he took his shirt off, RWBY were awestruck.

Up until this point, Ruby was the only member of team RWBY that had seen his scars, but that was an accident, and she averted her eyes quickly after, so she might not have gotten a close inspection. His physique was impressive, and his height added to his overall attractiveness, but that was the last thing on their minds right now. What they were focusing on was the multitude of scars he had all over his body, front and back. There were very faint and shallow scars littered over his chest, but there were also very big, and very deep scars. Some of those they knew came from when they first found him in the woods, but there were more scars of equal severity around his chest.

There was one that stuck out from the rest of them though. Located just below his ribcage to the right, there was a horrible dark scar that contrasted greatly to the others littering his body, even the deep ones mentioned before. To go along with it, there was another scar equally as severe on his back, lined up with the first one vertically, but it was located higher up on his back.

"Jackson," Ruby said. "Is-is that from the story you told us back in the infirmary?" She pointed out the stab wound that stuck out from everything else.

Looking down on his stomach, he found the wound she was referring to, and let out a sigh. "Yeah, that's it alright," Jackson said. "The very first real one I ever got in my life. Although it wasn't the experience I wished for. I hoped I would get one during my first time hunting with my dad, something to prove I was finally one of them." He looked over to Yang. "You want more proof?" Before she could even respond, he pulled out a small cube from his pocket, the same one he used to show the video with Weiss as a kid. Pressing a small button, he tossed it to the center of the cabin, and it projected a screen, a still image of somewhere in the forest, along with snow, a play button taking up most of the space. Placing his finger where the play button is, the screen responded accordingly, and began to play a video.

The video started out being obscured by leaves and shrubbery, sprinkled with snow on top, but that was soon pushed out of the way, and its place was a deer standing idly in the space in front of the camera, a thick sheet of snow covering the forest ground.

" _December 12th, Video Log #14. The last two hunting expeditions were a fruitless venture, either resulting in missing the target, or the Grimm getting to them before I could. I have a lot riding on this, so hopefully I don't fuck this up."_ The camera focused on the deer in front, and a deep breath could be heard off camera, and an arrow whizzed into view, and planted itself into the deer, hitting both lungs, the animal collapsing in a heap. Jackson could be heard letting out a cheer as he began to make his way towards the corpse. Jackson doesn't make an appearance once in the video, at least not entirely, so they've assumed that Jackson has the camera connected to him somewhere.

Jackson had just approached the deer carcass, when he heard a stick snap somewhere in the foliage around him. Almost immediately, he slung out Titán and began to scan his surroundings, looking for anything that looks out of place. Everything remained deathly still, the source of the disturbance seemingly invisible. Continuing to scan his environment, his intense focus on what he could see in front of him left him exposed from every other direction. By the time he heard rapid footsteps coming from his right, he was too late. He spun his whole body right, only to be met with a paw that sent him flying. A loud crack could be heard through the camera, but they never saw with what he impacted, though they could safely assume he crashed into a tree.

At that point, the group could make out his body from the chest down, meaning the camera was somewhere on his head. By the time Jackson came to, he already saw a Beowolf quickly closing the gap between them. The Grimm lunged at him, and he placed Titán in front of him as a crude way to bar the Grimm. They made contact, and Jackson did his best to keep the snapping jaws of the Beowolf as far away from him as he could. However back then, Jackson wasn't the chiseled and buff man Team RWBY see before them now. Because of that, Jackson struggled greatly to keep the damn beast away, and it began to inch ever so closer to his body, more importantly, his neck. The Grimm slashed at him, and managed to cut very deep across his chest. He screamed out in pain, and his arms almost gave out o the Beowolf, but thankfully managed. In a last ditch effort, Jackson put everything he had into one powerful shove and, surprisingly, it worked. Then again, the Beowolf wasn't fully grown yet, it seemed to be lacking a few bone plates throughout its body, meaning it was still rather young, only just recently becoming an adult.

Although the Grimm soon recovered, and rather than go back towards his neck, it had a surprise change of focus, and before Jackson could react, the Beowolf had already latched onto his right leg by biting down on it, more specifically, his calf. Jackson could be heard screaming out in agony, right as the Beowolf began to thrash him around by the leg, worsening the already terrible wound. At this rate, if he didn't do something quick, Jackson would lose the leg entirely.

Jackson had to use Titán to quickly put an end to this, though he would have to wait until he was done being thrown about if he were to have any chance at landing a shot. Eventually, the young Grimm had tired itself out, far more quickly than any experienced adult Grimm would do. It panted heavily, while still holding onto his leg. Seeing this as his chance, he took aim, and fired. The process was rushed, but his aim was true, as the camera witnessed the Beowolf's head blown to smithereens. The lower jaw was still attached because the teeth were deeply embedded into his calf, but it soon dissipated. All that remained was a three deep slashes across his chest, and a badly maimed leg, that would need immediate medical assistance if Jackson were to have any chance of saving it. Thankfully, he was fine just where he was, it was just a matter of if he had enough juice in him to fix it, at the very least repair any lethal damage done.

Jackson could be heard breathing heavily as he looked at his chest, the wound already turning his clothing into a dark red. He took off the sweater he had, and stayed in his cut shirt, and placed his hands on his chest. A red hue could be seen outlining his hands and chest, and after a moment, it disappeared. He let out a ragged breath, the act taking a fair amount out of him. He didn't completely heal the chest wound, he still had a leg to save, but it was enough for his body and half-semblance to take over and heal in time. He then looked at his leg, and began to roll up the right pants leg to get a clear view of the damage. He yelped out in pain as he did so, and examining it, it wasn't the best situation. From the looks of it, Jackson's right calf was badly torn, the teeth doing far more damage than he originally anticipated, and the adrenaline currently rushing through his system lessening the pain from what it truly was. The Beowolf had bitten from the side, and two lines of teeth marks could be seen, which happened to have cut the artery in his leg, and a continuous flow of blood being pumped out. Acting quickly, Jackson put his semblance to work, and began to repair the artery, first and foremost. Thankfully, that didn't take much effort to fix up, but it still seemed to have taken a lot out of Jackson, as a large exhale could be heard, and a shaky breath as he moved on to his damaged calf. The calf took more effort to repair, and was made much more difficult after the beating he took, but he managed to get a majority of the damage fixed, the rest able to take care of itself through rest and preventing putting any weight on it for the next few hours.

Putting as little weight on his right leg as he could, he limped over to the deer carcass, and turning Titán into its bowie counterpart, he began to skin the deer. Opening the bags he brought with him to store the meat, he disposed of the intestines and the other unsavory organs, and stripping the carcass of thigh meat and the ribs, as well as other meats. Filling the bags with what he deemed worth eating, he limped over to the closest tree, and at the trunk, buried the bags under a large amount of snow, serving as refrigeration for the meats and keeping it from spoiling, and to cover the scent of fresh meat and blood from any nearby Grimm. What remained of the deer he couldn't care less about, so long as they stayed away from his pickings. Climbing up the tree, Jackson rested on a large branch, high enough to be out of the Grimm's reach, but low enough to hop down and intervene should they wander too close to his bags. Getting in a comfortable position, Jackson let out a yawn, as light snowfall began to float down.

" _Well, mission accomplished, I suppose. Almost lost a leg, but thankfully it's fixed, and I came out it with a good amount of meat. All that's left is to allow my leg to rest before beginning the trek home. *yawn* Jackson, signing out."_

The video cut out at that, and the screen retracted back into the small cube, leaving the group silent. Jackson proceeded to put back on his shirt and hoodie, and took the storage cube and placed it back in his pocket. Sitting back down in his seat, he stared at Team RWBY, more importantly Yang, waiting for their response. He bent over and pulled up his right pant leg, showing the bite mark that could be seen from the opposite side of the cabin. The whole group saw, and Yang was the first to immediately look away. The others looked a bit longer, before they followed suit. Looking back at them, the cabin remained utterly silent, as Jackson patiently sat in his seat, waiting.

Finally, Ruby spoke up. "Alright, so now we all know that Jackson's stories now hold some truth to it. Let's just leave it at that, and focus on what's ahead." Everyone nodded their heads in silent confirmation, while Yang averted her gaze from Jackson, who continued to blankly stare in her direction. The mood for light-hearted conversation was now gone, and each member were left to their own devices, Jackson taking this opportunity to put in some earpieces and listen to music, as he slowly dozed off into a light slumber. Blake began to read a book, Weiss inspected her weapon, as well as Ruby, to make sure everything was as it should be, they really didn't have anything else to occupy the time.

Yang however, just sat there, and began to think. Thinking about Jackson's past, as well as her own. Yang had Ruby and her father, Taiyang. She did indeed have a mother, but she was nowhere to be found, she's been trying for the last near decade. Jackson has…nothing. Everything was ripped away from him three years ago, and all that remains of his past life was Weiss. Weiss could very well be all he has at this point, she saw how she looked at him, and how he looked at her at times, especially during their time in the infirmary. During his weeklong coma, and afterward, Weiss would always stay by his side anytime she had the chance. The only reason Yang knows this, is because she would always check in on her, make sure she's doing alright, because there was an obvious form of emotional trauma happening with her. At one point, Weiss took longer than usual to come back from the infirmary, and it wasn't until around 9:30 pm did she begin to worry somewhat and went to go get her. As soon as Yang set foot in Jackson's room, she saw Weiss, passed out in the chair next to his bed, her hand placed over his own. She was sleeping soundly alongside Jackson, a peacefulness Yang has seen for the first time since Jackson's admittance into the infirmary. She has never seen Weiss care for anyone nearly as much as she has for Jackson, which is really saying something, since her nickname is the Ice Queen. There was a bond between them, the likes of which she's never seen before between two people not blood-related, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little jealous of the connection they shared. However, she had her own man that cared deeply for her…but they don't get to see each other often in person.

Yang put the thought aside for now, and began to get comfy, as she began to sleep as well, continuing for that for the next three hours.

…

 _Mountain Glenn_

 _3:30 pm_

Jackson and Team RWBY were currently hovering over Mountain Glenn, or rather, what's left of this place.

With a bird's eye view, everyone could see that they were about to head into a ghost town. Buildings were falling apart and slowly crumbling as time went on, and they could tell the whole place was teeming with darkness, the air around it heavier. Everything was a dull grey, the cloudy atmosphere doing nothing to help the ambiance. The bullhead hovered above a concrete street of the ghost town, allowing RWBY, Jackson, and Oobleck to hop out of the their transportation, which had flown off immediately after they unloaded. From the sky, everything already looked to be in shambles, but up close, it was much worse. Jutting rebars and rubble was everywhere, the buildings that were visible to them seemed to be putting all of its weight on one corner, barely managing to stay upright. Growls could be heard all over the abandoned streets and alleyways, as well as distant howls.

"Alright children!" Oobleck exclaimed. "You all still may be students, but your first mission as Huntsmen has begun! From this point forward, you need to do exactly as I say, do you understand?"

Everyone nodded their heads in confirmation, but once Oobleck set his eyes on Jackson and Ruby, he put all his attention on them.

"You two!" Oobleck exclaimed, startling both Jackson and Ruby. "I thought I told the both of you to leave your things on the Bullhead!"

"But," Ruby said, "Y-You hadn't told us to listen to you yet. So I didn't."

Jackson pointed a finger at Ruby. "Yeah, what she said."

Oobleck opened his mouth to object, but paused, taking a moment to think. "She's not wrong… Very well then. Jackson! The bag you're carrying seems to be very lightweight, and I can only assume it contains items to pass the time during our time here, it shouldn't be much of a hindrance on you, I'll allow you to keep it. As for you Ruby, the bag you are carrying is far too big for me to allow you to bring. You will leave it here and we can pick it up upon our return."

"But, I, wuh-"

Oobleck dashed over to where Ruby currently was, now standing a foot from her.

"Young lady!" Oobleck exclaimed. "What in the world could you possibly have in that bag that could be so important to bring with-"

Before Oobleck could finish, a dog head popped out of it, and gave off a bark, panting happily, making its presence known to the whole group, who now stood staring at the surprise appearance.

"Get back in the bag," Ruby whispered.

Before Ruby knew it, there was a blur, as well as a hard tug at her back that spun her around for a bit, until she fell over. It took her a moment to pick herself back up and orient herself after being spun like a top, and once she finally collected herself, she noticed that her pack was suddenly empty, and she began to panic, trying to figure out what happened to the dog. Frantically looking around, she finally set her eyes on Jackson, who was five feet away from the group, holding the same dog in his hands.

" **HOLY SHIT RUBY YOU BROUGHT A DOG?!** " Jackson squealed. " **HE'S SO** _ **FUCKING**_ **ADORABLE!** " The dog in question was a Corgi, and its little tail was wagging with glee as it avidly licked Jackson's face, Jackson himself gushing over the little furball. Meanwhile, Oobleck was staring at Ruby, his eyes giving away no emotion behind those glasses.

"We're here to investigate an abandoned urban jungle, teeming with death and hostility, and you brought, a dog?" Ruby stammered, desperately trying to find an explanation, before Oobleck exclaimed, "Genius!"

Jackson was still playing with the dog, hugging it and loving, when a green blur passed by him, taking the dog with it. "HEY!" He exclaimed.

Oobleck held the dog in his outstretched arms, spinning it around and around. "Canines are historically known for their perceptive nose and heightened sense of sound, making them excellent companions for hunts such as ours!"

"I'm a genius," Ruby said, sounding smug. The others just sighed, and Yang facepalmed.

Blake decided to continue the conversation. "So, what are your orders doctor?"

Oobleck stopped spinning and looked back to the team. "Ah yes, straight to the chase, I like it!" He dropped the dog instead of placing him gently on the ground, though Jackson came out of nowhere and dived to catch the dog before it hit the ground, and slid a few feet before stopping.

"MINE!" He exclaimed. Weiss smiled and chuckled at his love for the dog.

Oobleck continued without hesitation. "As you've been informed, the southeast area has been marked as a recent hotspot for Grimm activity. Now there are several possible explanations for this behavior, one of which being: Grimm."

Everyone, even the dog, was confused at Oobleck's statement. "Uh, what?" Ruby asked.

"Grimm," Oobleck repeated. "A creature of Grimm approximately 100 yards from us at this very moment." Aside from Oobleck himself, everyone tensed up, looking for the target.

"What?" Yang said. After turning around, they found a lone beowolf come out of a nearby alley. Everyone brought out their weapons, ready to blow it to bits.

"Stop," Oobleck warned, catching the attention of the five students. "There are never reasons why Grimm would congregate in this particular area, the most likely of which would be attraction to negativity: Sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred. All qualities are likely held by by our hidden group hovering ill intent." They all reluctantly put down their weapons.

"So, what now?" Ruby asked.

"We wait," Oobleck responded. "We track. If this specimen leads us to its pack, that pack may subsequently lead us to our prey."

"How long do we wait?" Jackson asked.

"It's uncertain," Oobleck replied. "Hours, days, weeks. While lone Grimm have been known to stay isolated from their packs for months-and there's the whole pack."

Sure enough, many more Grimm began to emerge from the same alleyway the first one originated from, and from the nearby streets.

"What?" Weiss asked, somewhat worried.

"And now they've seen us," Oobleck added.

"What?" Weiss said, now more worried.

"AND NOW THEY'VE SEEN US!" Oobleck exclaimed.

"…I take it, tracking is now out of the question?" Jackson deducted.

"An accurate assumption, yes," Oobleck replied.

"What do we do then?" Yang asked. Oobleck looked at each and every one of them, as the pack now began to make their way towards their position.

"Show me what you're capable of."

Taking that as their cue, they all brought up their weapons once more, and charged the incoming pack. The group of Grimm had divided themselves accordingly to equally face off each of the five members, and charged. Jackson was left with six Grimm, while the remaining went after Team RWBY.

' _Well Khvostov, time to show me what you're made of.'_

Taking it off from his back, Jackson took off the safety and set it to burst-fire, pulling back the loading mechanism, shooting forwards as he let go and loading one in the chamber. Taking aim with the cracked sight, he saw that the group of oncoming Grimm were bunched together. Jackson knew the rate of fire was absolutely terrible to begin with, only 62 RPM. To fix that, Jackson had Ruby amp up the RPM to 450, one of two modifications that strayed from the original schematics. With his finger on the trigger, and the Grimm in his line of sight, he closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Once exhaling, his eyes snapped back open, and he began to fire.

His movement was calculated and precise, almost robot-like, as he shot down each Grimm. The recoil was nothing compared to Titán, now that he had it pressed against his shoulder to distribute the recoil in a much much larger area, rather than having it held in place by the strength in his entire right arm. The three-round bursts found themselves embedded in the Grimm's chest, taking them down, and square in the head for two of them. None of them were able to get close to him by the time he finished them off, his aim proving true. Of the 25 rounds in his magazine, he remained with seven rounds left. He decided to switch it to semi-auto, and placed the safety back on, heading back to Oobleck shortly after. The others seemed to have also made quick work of their bundle of Grimm, as they were already making their way back to Oobleck as well.

Ruby picked up her scythe and showcased it to Oobleck. "Piece of cake," Ruby said.

"Do not celebrate yet Miss Rose," Oobleck warned. "This is only the first bout of many. Come along, we have a whole city to explore!" He took a sip of the thermos he possessed, and dashed away into the bowels of the abandoned city, forcing the others to follow.

…

For the last few hours, the group had inspected countless sectors of the city, with countless more to go. Almost every turn they made, they were met with Grimm, and fought them off, while Oobleck observed the surrounding area. He would search for anything out of the ordinary, a sign that something might have occurred, but he would always come up empty handed. After dispatching another small group of Beowolves, Yang groaned and looked at Oobleck.

"Doctor Oobleck," she said, "We've been doing this for hours now. Also, we were kind of hoping to see a Veteran Huntsman in action right now."

"Ah, but you see my dear," Oobleck said, "I am in action. I'm observing our surroundings, looking for anything that may be out of place, which shouldn't be very difficult, considering this place has been abandoned for years. Not every mission will have action, Ms. Xiao Long."

"Well, yeah," Yang said. "Of course…Totally."

"Good. Keep in mind, this is not a game, this is a job, a job you all signed up for. Well, there's nothing here of any interest. Oh well, on to the next sector!" Team RWBY quietly groaned and followed him to their next destination.

Jackson had been at this for three years now, so he was patient with Oobleck's inspections, and was more than capable of keeping up with what the city had to throw at him. However, it seems the constant Grimm encounters began to take their toll on the others, and their patience was wearing thin as well. Of the whole group, Yang seemed to be the most agitated. She was just as capable of handling these Grimm as Jackson, it's the fact that what they've been doing for the last few hours has now become routine. Inspect, fight, leave, repeat. The others are looking like they're beginning to grow weary of the constant fighting, their breathing beginning to become labored, but they continued to push on.

 _Mountain Glenn_

 _7:30 pm_

Later on in their venture deeper into the city, Jackson noticed that Team RWBY, excluding Ruby, were distracted, though he had no clue why. Yes, they were tired and irritated, but rather than act sluggish or have a scowl on their face, they looked distressed for some reason. Jackson didn't know what was going on with them, until at some point, Oobleck had spoken to him after he dispatched a small group of Grimm, and the group had time to catch a break.

"Misterwesson!" He exclaimed. "Tell me, why are you here?"

"Pardon?" Jackson was confused at the question.

"What I mean is, why did you choose this line of business?"

"Hm, well, it wasn't much of a choice," Jackson replied. "Rather, it was an alternate option. It was either this, or be a convicted minor in the VPD's database."

"Is that so?" Oobleck asked.

Jackson simply nodded. "I'm sure you've heard of my…first impression at Beacon. Destruction of school property, aggravated assault on three students of said school, one could even go as far as attempted murder, and very descriptive threats. Though in my defense, I thought I was going to die, and when I woke up in a very different surrounding, I was a bit overwhelmed. But it's not all bad."

"And how is that, Mister Wesson?"

"Well, it's not very different from I originally had in mind," Jackson explained. "I originally wanted to be a doctor, or a nurse, a position where my semblance had the potential to do a lot of good. And in a way, that's what I'm doing right now." He looked at Team RWBY, who were sitting down on the edge of the sidewalk, each of them conversing and smiling. "Now, I have four patients to look after, eight counting JNPR, and it's my job to make sure they're all healthy and combat ready, on and off the field."

"I see," Oobleck said. "So far, I've heard of what you will be doing here at Beacon, but I haven't heard enough of why. What drives you to be the person you are today, to do what you do with your teams?"

Jackson paused, thinking over what he's asking. Once he had an answer, he responded. "It's a personal tie, to my family."

"Who they are? What they do?"

"Who they _were_ , and what the White Fang did to _them_."

There was silence, as Oobleck only stared at him, processing what he's just been told.

"Two weeks ago," Jackson started, "I asked for a copy of that audio file from the village that went up in flames. That village was my home, and that lone set of tracks leaving the ruins was me. When I look back at that point in my life, I see lives that could have been saved, lives that did nothing to deserve what happened to them. We had nothing against faunus, humans and faunus lived side by side peacefully within my village, they even had kids together.

"Everything I knew, everyone I loved, gone. My drive is that I want to make sure that the White Fang, or any other radical terrorist organization, don't commit these acts of terror again, taking the lives of those that were innocent, and make them pay for what they did." After telling teams RWBY and JNPR about his past, he's found himself much more able to speak of his story with others, without struggling with the insanity blackouts. But that means he's going to be throwing his story willy nilly, he still wants to keep it as secret as it can be.

Oobleck took a moment to figure out what he wanted to say. After finally deciding, he spoke. "I'm…very sorry to hear that Jackson. I had no clue of the personal ties you had with the White Fang."

"Yeah well," Jackson said. "There isn't anything that can change what happened. All I can do is take that damn group of monsters down, and make sure nothing like it ever happens again."

Oobleck simply nodded, and left him alone, making his way towards the others. "Well children, we weren't able to find anything of interest during our investigation. But, there's always tomorrow!" Oobleck tossed the backpack he had at Jackson, who caught it with ease. "Jackson, scout out one of these buildings to set up camp, and bring RWBY with you. Miss Rose, you will not be going with them, instead, you shall come with me, and we will secure the perimeter. Everyone get to it!" They all nodded, Ruby going with Oobleck, and the rest going to a nearby building that Jackson began to walk towards.

The building that Jackson chose was properly standing on all four walls, rather than slanted. After looking over the interior, it seemed to be in good condition, at least compared to the others surrounding them. Walking up to the third floor, they found an empty room, completely barren of any furniture, or any sort of furnishings. Perfect. Jackson began unpacking the backpack Oobleck brought along, and tossed a sleeping bag to Weiss, Blake, and Yang. After laying out the sleeping bags, Jackson found a wrapped up bundle of firewood in the pack, as well as a set of matches and fuel for the fire. He decided to get a fire going, and while he was preparing it, Yang spoke up.

"Hey guys," she said. "Did Oobleck talk to any you about why you were here?" They all nodded their heads, though Jackson did it rather absentmindedly, since he was focusing on the fire.

"Well, what did you tell him?"

"For honor," Weiss said.

"For the good of the people," Blake said.

"For the thrill," Yang said.

They all looked at Jackson, who didn't notice their stares until he finally decided to look at something other than the fire, and when he finally looked at them, he was a bit weirded out. "Why are you all staring at me?"

"Oobleck asked us all why we decided to become Huntsmen," Yang said. "What about you, Jackson? Why are you here?"

Jackson only stared at them, before putting his attention back to the fire he was starting, but he did answer her question. "Vengeance."

They all flinched at his response, Blake the most of them. She heard his conversation with Oobleck about his reason for being here, and what he said about the White Fang, being terrorists and monsters, it cut deep for Blake. She desperately wanted to prove him wrong, show him that they're just misguided, but how can you change someone's view that's lost everything to them?

"I got sucked into the Huntsman thing to avoid turning into a felon," Jackson said. "But now, being a Huntsman-in-training actually gives me some kind of backstory, instead of giving them my oh-so heartbreaking past, the whole emotional spiel and all that shit. Until now, my drive to find the White Fang is what has kept me alive for as long as it did. If I didn't have that drive and determination, I would have died a long time ago, jumping into Death's sweet embrace, and going gentle into that good night."

He looked at Weiss, and gave her a sweet smile. "But now I have Weiss, someone I didn't think I'd see again after that, at least for much longer than three years. Not only do I have the drive to avenge my family, now I have to protect her."

Weiss was surprised to her. "P-Protect me from what?"

"The White Fang," Jackson responded. "You and I both know your company, and family, has been a target for the White Fang for awhile now. Dust robberies, protest, employee assassinations, and vandalism. Hell, they made an effort to kidnap you two years ago!"

Yang was thrown off to hear the attempted kidnapping, and as much as Weiss, and Blake, hated to admit it, it was true. One year after Jackson's birthday fiasco, Weiss had returned to being heiress to a company, given almost no time to be a kid. According to the criminal underground, the White Fang was somehow able to go as far as get an agent inside the Schnee Manor, but no one knew how. Some say that they were able to bribe the guards, some say they hired a rogue Huntsman to do the job, others say it was an inside job, a White Fang sympathizer that let the agent in. Either way, the agent managed to snatch Weiss in the night, and got to the front yard, before being mowed down by the expert marksmen on the roof, saving her. The story never managed to get released to the public, Weiss' father was able to keep it under wraps. Ever since then, the Schnee family has bulked up their security, using sentries, Atlesian knights, as well as human bodyguards, all of them armed to the teeth.

Blake knew of the event, but she didn't have any part in it. Weiss never told anyone outside of her family about the event, because of how terrifying it was, and how close she came to death, or worse…

Jackson stood up, and grabbed Weiss by the shoulders, and looked at her in the eye. "Weiss, you've made yourself vulnerable picking this path. I get that you couldn't bear to be stuck within that prison, and I'm sure you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, but now that you're out here, in the open, all they need is one well placed shot, and I'm not about to give those monsters a chance."

Weiss didn't know what to say. Jackson had never shown this level of care for Weiss before, and she was now acting flustered.

"Weiss, look at me," Jackson said, gaining her attention again. "There is nothing on Remnant that's going to keep me away from you, okay? You can be damn sure that I'll be by your side, through thick and thin."

Weiss could only blush at Jackson's statement. "Th-Thank you Jackson," she said. "Believe me, I wouldn't want you anywhere else."

Jackson smiled. "Good." He turned over to the other two. "What you heard of Weiss' kidnapping stays between us. No one, not even Ruby, can know about this. Do I make myself clear?"

Blake and Yang nodded their heads, dropping it immediately and acting like they never heard it. Jackson looked back to the unlit fire, and pulled a match for the matchbox in his hands. After lighting it, he flicked it into the pile of wood, and it immediately came alight. As soon as he did it, Oobleck and Ruby walked into the room.

"Excellent, a textbook fire!" Oobleck complimented.

"A fire," Ruby said, kneeling in front of it and stretching her hands out. " _So warm..._ "

"Yes, it's all warm and cozy," Oobleck agreed, "However one of you will have to keep first watch."

Ruby raised her hand. "Yo."

"That settles it," Oobleck said. "Off to bed, we're going to need it for tomorrow." He hopped up onto a ledge higher up than where they were, and began to get comfy. Jackson and WBY proceeded to do the same, and got comfy in their sleeping bags.

Jackson was able to immediately get comfy, and was able to fall asleep almost just as quickly, leaving the others to figure out their sleeping positions for slumber.

...

Jackson was sleeping peacefully, when he could suddenly make out faint voices, stirring him. His body wasn't even awake, but his mind could register the disturbance. He soon found out that it was Blake, Weiss, and Yang talking, but their voices were muffled, and his body wouldn't respond to the voices. Instead of trying to get up, he soon gave up and slowly drifted off into undisturbed slumber once again.

...

AN: **And that's the chapter! So far, I've been able to meet the two-week quota, so that's good. Also, RWBY VOLUME 4! That first episode is EXACTLY how you kick off a new Volume! I'm so excited to see what Roosterteeth brings to the table this upcoming Volume, and the character development along the way. Have a good day/evening, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	13. Mountain Glenn: You Reap What You Sow

AN: **Hey everyone, welcome back to Dead Man Walking! Shoutout to kkrraakk, Hector5257, ODSTFRymann and LE MAO XVII (awesome name by the way) for following/favoriting the story, let's begin!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY**

…

 _Mountain Glenn_

 _?:? am_

Yang woke up, unable to properly sleep, their conversation earlier still nagging at the back of her head. She kept waking up at random times throughout the night, not really aware of how long it's been since she woke up the last time. Eventually, she gave up altogether and sat up. Looking around her, she found the fire Jackson had built reduced to nothing but ashes and embers. Weiss and Blake were sound asleep, as well as Ruby, with Zwei snuggled up next to her. Looking up, Oobleck remained asleep, his thermos next to his side. Well, it was somewhat nice to know that his coffee eventually wore off.

Looking out to the city, the sun had yet to come out, but a faint golden hue could be seen popping out over the horizon. Dawn was beginning to near, and the atmosphere was slowly beginning to warm up. Yang also saw Jackson resting against the window frame, wearing his shirt, his hoodie next to his sleeping bag, something resting against his one knee placed up, and a pencil in his right hand.

Jackson's view lingered over to where RWBY was, and was surprised to see Yang awake. "Oh, hey Yang," Jackson casually said. "Couldn't sleep?"

Yang slowly nodded. "How'd you know?" She asked.

"I heard you shuffle around in your sleeping bag a few times during my watch," Jackson replied. "I'm surprised you didn't decide to get up sooner." He reached into his pocket and fished out one of the strawberry candies he stole from the infirmary. "Want one?" Yang nodded with a bit more vigor, and Jackson tossed it to her, catching it with ease.

After inspecting it a bit further, she let out a wide grin. "Aw, no way!" She excitedly whispered. "These are the grandma candies I loved as a kid!"

Jackson chuckled. "Yeah, that's how most people know them. I had these all the time when I was a kid, but not from my grandma. Weiss' mom would always bring a huge bucket of them for me anytime they came to visit, and I could never get enough of them."

Yang immediately unwrapped one and popped it into her mouth. As soon as the flavor hit, she instantly began to think back to her childhood, getting these from her grandma when they visited. Waves of nostalgia coursed through her.

Jackson noticed this. "You seem to be enjoying yourself," he remarked.

"It's been so long since I've had one of these, and I forgot how good they were," Yang said.

"Hmm." Jackson went back to scribbling whatever what was on his knee. Yang took notice, and stepped closer to see what it was. Once she could properly see it, she realized that it was a sketchbook, and what he was scribbling was actually an illustration of the abandoned city skyline, with the mountains peaking over the empty buildings. The scene itself wasn't very interesting, but the detail put into the sketch was phenomenal. Each building was carefully drawn to represent the real thing, and it even had the detail through the windows of each building, that Yang could make out from where she stood. Pencil shavings littered the ground around Jackson, with his Bowie knife nearby. He continued to draw, and Yang could see that instead of the city, he began to draw a person atop one of the buildings. The figure stood facing the city, its body completely shaded out. It was a small detail added to the picture, but it seemed to change the atmosphere of the drawing entirely.

"Holy crap Jackson," Yang awed. "You drew that?"

Jackson was slightly startled at Yang's question, thinking she had gone back to her sleeping bag, but it would seem she had, in fact, moved closer. "Um, yeah," Jackson replied, slightly embarrassed that he got caught doodling. "It's just something I've been doing during my watch."

"Shouldn't you be on the lookout for Grimm?" Yang questioned.

"We haven't died yet, have we?" Jackson rebutted. "Besides, I've only seen a few Grimm so far, far and few in between."

"…Alright, that's it," Yang said. "I'll take over from here, you go back to your sleeping bag. I'm not very keen on letting someone with that kind of mindset be on watch for Grimm."

"I'm not going back to sleep," Jackson stated. "I've done a good job for the last six hours, why not go the whole mile."

"What?!" Yang exclaimed.

Jackson immediately placed his hand over her mouth, and placed a finger against his own mouth. "Shhhh!" He hissed.

Those asleep turned over in their bag, and let out a groan. After waiting for a moment, Jackson finally took his hand away, allowing Yang to speak again.

"Six hours?" Yang whispered. "What the hell happened to changing shifts?"

"When Ruby woke me up to take over, I decided to let you guys sleep. I wasn't feeling the least bit tired by the time my shift was over, and I just kept it up." He went back to his sketchbook, and flipped through the pages, showing the different drawings he had in it, most of them scenic backdrops like the one he was working on not too long ago. "I've had some time on my hands."

"But it wasn't just that," Jackson said. "I didn't want to go back to sleep, even if I did feel tired."

"What do you mean?" Yang asked.

"I mean I'm afraid of what I'll find when I go to sleep," Jackson said. "I don't need to remind you of what happened two weeks ago. Everything went to shit before any of us any idea what was happening, and I haven't been able to properly sleep since then. When I regained consciousness, those extra few days I spent in the hospital bed was absolutely horrible. I kept getting small flashes of my birthday, and what happened in your dorm. I kept waking up in the middle of the night, breaking out into cold sweats and heavy breathing. Each dream was the same, I ended up killing one of you guys. One was Ruby, the other was Jaune and Nora, even Pyrrha." Jackson flipped to another page in his sketchbook, and just stared at it. "Looks like you were right Yang. There was always something wrong with me, something I didn't even know."

Jackson felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked over to Yang, who gave him a warm smile. "It wasn't your fault," she said. "Besides, you're not the only one who's been all hung up on this too."

"How?" Jackson asked.

"Rubes has been beating herself up over this after you woke up. She felt so bad for causing those flashbacks, she started to think she was responsible for what happened to us."

"That's not true," Jackson argued. "She didn't know. She couldn't have known this would be the result of trying to throw me a birthday party."

"We've been trying to tell her that," Yang said. "But it doesn't seem to be doing much. Sometimes, she's too nice for her own good."

"Hehe, never thought I'd hear that." Jackson looked out into the city, thinking. "Hey, Yang."

"Yeah?" She asked.

Jackson paused for a moment. "I…I want to apologize for what I've done in the past. I haven't exactly treated you well, compared to the others. I've probably given you more shit than I have to the other three combined, probably even more than Cardin too. I didn't see why you were so hesitant then, because I didn't the see the threat I was to everyone. But now I do, and now I understand."

Yang smiled, glad that Jackson was now understanding why she acted the way she did, and is realizing his faults in this. "Thanks Jackson," Yang said. "I really appreciate it. It takes a big man to admit his faults."

Now Jackson smiled, thankful that Yang was accepting of his apology. There was a silence between the both of them, until Jackson spoke up again.

"…How far are you willing to go to protect those you care about, Yang?"

Yang looked at Jackson, confused by the sudden question. But she still gave an answer. "Whatever it takes," she replied with certainty in her voice.

Jackson nodded his head in approval. "Good," he said. _'I'll be counting on that, if_ _ **it**_ _ever happens again.'_ Going back to his sketchbook, he flipped through the pages, until he found the page he was looking for, and just stared at it. The action piqued Yang's curiosity, and taking a look into the sketchbook, she saw something very surprising.

Clipped to that specific spot in the sketchbook, was the photo Jackson brought with him, with him and Weiss as kids. Not only that, but the page it was clipped to contained of drawing of Weiss herself, or rather, multiple Weisses. There were three different versions of Weiss on the page, each at different ages in her life so far. The first one, she was very young, bracelet, light blue dress, and shoulder-length hair. This must have been when she was around nine or ten years old, when they first met each other. The second one was when she was older, maybe thirteen or fourteen, the last time Jackson saw her for three years. She was no longer in a dress, and her hair has grown much longer since the first one, now coming down to the middle of her back, smooth and let down, without hair bands or anything. This time, she wore a pair of white sneakers, white slim-fit women's jeans, with a plain white t-shirt, leaning against a wall. The outfit and body language was far too casual for Weiss to ever wear, though that might've been only when she went to visit the village. And the final one, was current Weiss, the Weiss RWBY and JNPR all knew and loved. She had the same attire the group always see her in, with Myrtenaster held in her hand, pointed outwards, hair in a ponytail to her side, like always.

Each drawing of Weiss was exemplary. They weren't hyper-realistic as some people were able to pull off, it was sharp and precise, instead of smooth and relaxing. However, the art style complimented Weiss greatly, as it seems to fit who Weiss is as a person. Also, one other thing Yang noticed was, in each drawing, as Weiss got progressively older, the emotion seemed to drain out of her. As a child, it was obvious that she was full of energy and excitement, the big smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes proof of it. Moving to the second one, Weiss was very laid back and casual, a sly smile plastered on her face. The intensity from before had vanished, but the positivity was there, as well as relaxation. On the final one, the current version of Weiss, no such thing was visible. There was no smile, no relaxed body, no sparkle in her eyes, only a rigid posture, and a cold, calculating focus.

However, on the other page next to it, there was another drawing of Weiss, but it was different. Instead of her whole body, it was just her upper torso, from her stomach up. It was another drawing of current Weiss, but she was…smiling. It wasn't a closed-mouth smile, she was showing her teeth, drawn perfectly. The smile was genuine, as well as the emotion. She clasped her left arm with her right, as if embarrassed of something. Her eyes sparkled, giving off a warmth the likes of which RWBY has never seen before. This was a whole new Weiss Yang witnessed, the kind Jackson always saw, and continues to see to this very day.

Looking back to Jackson, Yang saw longing in his eyes, and ache on his face. It took her a moment to figure it out, but when she did, everything suddenly clicked.

"No way," Yang said, grabbing Jackson's attention. "Are you…?" She looked over to the drawings, and back to him.

Jackson followed her eyesight, and traced it back to the drawings, and he understood what she was implying. He merely sighed. "It's that obvious, huh?"

Yang's eyes widened, and her jaw fell open, slowly being replaced by a smile. "No. Way," she said. "For how long?"

"Since the very beginning," Jackson replied. "I just didn't know it at the time. I couldn't put my finger on it, and it wasn't until about a week ago that I finally figured out what it was."

"Look at you," Yang said, playfully punching him in the shoulder. "Finally facing your true feelings for a lifelong friend. So, any idea on how you'll be admitting your true love for your Sleeping Beauty over there?"

"Well, that's where I'm still struggling," Jackson sheepishly replied. "I have no clue what I could do, or what kind of present I could get to open it up. I mean, what do you get someone that already has everything?"

"Now that's where you're wrong Jackson," Yang said. She reached over to the sketchbook and picked off the photo from the paper clip. After looking at it for a moment, she flipped it over, so that it was now facing Jackson. "She doesn't have everything. No matter how much money she has, how many contacts she keeps, how much influence her family name possesses, she can't get precious memories, no matter how much she tries. She can't get a doting drawing, a song from the soul, not even the simple phrase, _'I love you',_ without her family name and fortune playing a huge part in it.

"You didn't love Weiss for her name," Yang said. "You never did. You loved her for her personality, for her ability as a singer, an artist, a fighter, and most importantly, to care so deeply about you, back then, and now. I've seen the way you two look at each other, and I'm more than damn sure that it didn't stem from the family she belonged to."

Yang handed the photo back to Jackson. "You show her that photo, remind her of the time you two shared, and give her one of your drawings of her, you will give her more than she ever could have wanted."

Jackson took the photo back, and looked at it, going over what Yang just told him. He realized that she had a very valid point. Money can only go so far in terms of happiness.

"Thank you Yang," Jackson said. "Hehe, I never thought you'd be the Love Doctor, I always thought you'd be the one sending them the lovesick patients."

"Usually I am," Yang smirked. "But just because I'm their love sickness, doesn't mean there's a remedy for it. I'm currently taken."

"Oh is that so?" Jackson asked. "I thought most of the guys here were too much of a hormonal meathead for your taste."

"Yeah, they are," Yang rolled her eyes as she said it. "He doesn't go to Beacon. He lives in Vale, but sometimes, his work takes him to the other Kingdoms, and the villages in between."

"Sounds like a busy guy," Jackson said.

"He is," Yang replied. "Sometimes, it's a long distance relationship, but when he's here, he always manages to set aside time from his schedule so we can spend time together, and make up for lost time."

Jackson nodded. It's nice to know that Yang's with someone who cares enough about her to separate himself from his work to-

"Wait a minute," Jackson said. "You said he works? How old is he?"

"He's nineteen," Yang easily replied. "What, you thought I had some sort of sugar daddy?"

"I was afraid of hearing that, yes," Jackson admitted. "Now that I know it isn't some old creep, who is he?"

"Honestly, I'm pretty sure you have no clue who he is," Yang said. "He's a pretty hard man to find to begin with. You need the right connections."

"Well, neither of us will know for sure if you won't tell me," Jackson rebutted. "Besides, I've got connections, I might know him." Right as he finished speaking, he looked over to the rest of the city, and what he saw made his blood run cold.

"Well, alright," Yang said. "His name is-"

"Quiet," Jackson said. He put away his sketchbook, and pulled out Khvostov. "We're being watched."

"What?" Yang said, standing up. "There's no way, we're the only people within a five mile radius of this heap of concrete. Unless…"

"The White Fang," Jackson finished. "It has to be them, who else would be out here? Listen, I only saw one person watching us, but I couldn't get a clear view of their face, they slipped behind a building before I could get the chance to get a bead on them. You stay here and keep a lookout for anything that might be making their way here, I'm gonna track that guy down. If I find anything related to the White Fang, I'll call you to wake up the others. Until then, leave them be, there's still the off-chance it's some crazy explorer. As the saying goes, hope for the best, prepare for the worst."

"At this point, I really am hoping it's the White Fang," Yang said. "It'll finally relieve me of this goddamn boredom."

Jackson nodded, and hopped down from the window ledge, onto the street below. As soon as he landed, he made his way over to where he last saw the shadowed figure. Turning the corner Jackson saw the figure at, he found an empty alleyway, trash bins and rubble littering the space between the two buildings. He stopped, and stayed very quiet. After a moment, he heard footsteps, or rather, small pieces of concrete crumbling and grazing across the floor under a boot, and his suspicions were confirmed. Stepping very carefully, so as to not do the same, he walked down the alleyway and followed the figure. Jackson kept tailing the mystery person for another few blocks, and it wasn't until he passed the fourth block did he realize what was going on.

The figure was fully aware of his presence. He intentionally lingered around the corner for Jackson to see him, but fast enough that he couldn't get a clear shot of his face, and lured him far away enough from the others that they would be too far away to do anything to help Jackson, and would arrive too late when things kick off. At least, that's what the figure is hoping for. He knew this to be true, because the footsteps he heard were far too casual for someone who knows they've been caught, and trying to shake him off. They knew they couldn't take on the whole group at once, so they decided to separate one of them from the pack.

Jackson was mad at himself that he didn't see it sooner, because he used the same tactic before anytime he went to Vale. There were times where once he exited Junior's club, there was someone who followed him out of the club, and tailed him, while either trying to look normal, or hiding from his line of sight. They figured they could easily mug some kid who was _way_ over his head. They would be surprised the next day when they found themselves in a hospital bed, a cast on their arm or leg, sometimes both.

He made a mental note of where the figure currently was, and cut a hard left. Now that he knew the tactic they were using, he decided to go around them undetected, and wait for them farther up ahead, hoping to catch them off guard. As he made his way around the person, Jackson would stop every once in awhile to regain his bearings, and listen for the person to see where they were. It took around ten minutes to get ahead of them, and once he did, Jackson began to devise a plan as to how to apprehend the suspect. Once he had a good idea of what he would do, he began to adjust his location, listening for footsteps, so that they would walk straight into him without even knowing it. He found out that they began to enter an alleyway, and would exit nearby, so Jackson placed himself around the corner, out of their line of sight through the alleyway, and waited.

He could hear them now, their footsteps slowly getting louder and louder as they got ever so closer. Jackson's heart was racing now, this could be the moment where he and RWBY could get some answers about any potential White Fang located here in Mountain Glenn. He placed Khvostov on his back, and pulled out Titán. He forced himself to calm down, taking deep, but quiet, breaths. Right now isn't the time to be fidgety, he needs to be at his most optimal performance. The footsteps were very audible, the person was practically on top of him now.

' _Alright. 3…2…1…NOW!'_

Striking at speeds that even surprised himself, Jackson reached out over the corner, and grabbed whatever he got a hold of. He gripped some sort of fabric, and yanked them over, slamming them into the wall to his side. Before they could react, Jackson planted his left forearm on their clavicle, his right gripping Titán, now pointed at their head, a distance away so that they don't try to-

Oh shit.

"Gage?" Jackson asked. Of all the people he expected to find here, Gage was at the very bottom of the list. He immediately backed off, giving him room, and allowing him to recover. "Jesus man, I almost planted a bullet between your eyes."

Gage was currently adjusting his jacket, shaking off the surprise he was given. "Dude, you know I wouldn't let you take me out that easy," he said.

Jackson just rolled his eyes. Then, he suddenly remembered about something. "Hold up, were you the person I saw earlier? Back at the building?"

Gage placed his hands in the air. "*sigh*…You got me! Yeah, that was me back there. I heard some voices, and I went to investigate, but I only found you relaxing on a windowsill. I thought I had slipped away unnoticed, but it looks like you're sharper than I thought."

"What the hell are you even doing here anyway?" Jackson questioned. "There's nothing out here for miles!"

"Now that's where you're wrong," Gage said. "The reason I'm out here is that I'm working on your case. The White Fang is here, and not just a small platoon. They've got something _big_ planned. I thought you were a patrol group that holed up in a building for a break, that's why I went to check it out."

"Wait, the White Fang are here?" Jackson asked. _'Holy shit, they were right.'_ "Well, where are they?"

Gage only smiled, and pointed down to the floor.

The gesture only confused Jackson. "You sure I didn't smack your head a little too hard against the wall?"

"Very funny, asshole," Gage said in a deadpan tone. "Mountain Glenn has a complex system of caves residing underneath this abandoned city. After everything went to shit above ground, those that survived decided to take shelter underground, and made a village there. Though, that didn't go so well either. All caves and subway systems leading to Vale were shut off, essentially trapping them when underground Grimm were released from their little pods."

"Christ," Jackson breathed out. "I have to tell the others."

"Others?" Gage asked. "What others?"

"Team RWBY is here too," Jackson said. "Along with a professor from the academy they go to. We were assigned here to investigate an anomaly occurring here in Mountain Glenn." He pulled out his scroll to contact Yang, but he couldn't get through to her. "Dammit, no signal. Alright, I'm gonna have to go back and get them. Gage, I don't know what you plan on doing, but it might be best if you leave, we're about to perform a raid."

Jackson began to run back towards the group, but Gage called out to him. "Jackson wait! There's something I have to tell you." Jackson stopped his progress and turned to face Gage.

Before Jackson could even open his mouth, Gage pulled out Javix and fired off three shots, all of them hitting Jackson square in the chest. He fell on his back, unable to move. Gage walked over to where he lied, and loomed over his body.

One thing that immediately stuck out was Gage's eyes. He looked straight into Jackson's own eyes, and Jackson saw that instead of their normal turquoise color, Gage's eyes turned blood red. His whole aura completely changed, from slight annoyance to utter bloodlust.

"Don't you _**DARE**_ fucking think you're gonna go back to them after what you did!" Gage hissed. "I warned you what would happen if you so much as _looked_ at them the wrong way! I mean… do you know who's on that team?! How important they are to me? DO YOU?!

"You screwed up big time crossing them, and me. I mean, do you have any _**IDEA**_ who you're talking to?! And now, you've gotta pay…"

Jackson's initial shock has worn off, so it was now or never. Faster than Gage could react, Jackson's arm shot out and socked him in the face, Gage reeling back from the surprise attack, giving Jackson enough time and space to quickly get up and make a run for it into a nearby alley.

' _Thank god I decided to get these ceramic-plated shirts.'_

Gage soon recovered from the attack, and gave chase to Jackson. He followed Jackson down the alley, and towards the exit in the opposite side, an arm shot out the last second in an attempt to clothesline him. But Gage was ready this time. He slid under the arm, and as he passed under it, he grabbed the arm and dragged it with him, pulling Jackson out into the street. Using his robot prosthetic, he kept his grip on Jackson's forearm with both hands, and threw him, sending him flying into a nearby building, crashing through the glass window, shards going everywhere. Jackson groaned as he began to lift himself up from the mess. He heaved himself over the window ledge, and back out into the street.

Gage growled and huffed as he made his way toward Jackson. "Fool me once…" Gage remarked.

Jackson eventually got back on his feet, and tried to explain. "Gage, it's not what you think," Jackson said. "It was their idea to come out here, not mine."

"Of course," Gage said in a mocking tone. "And your attempt to slaughter them was all one _HUGE_ mistake!"

"It was!" Jackson exclaimed. "I wasn't in my right mind when that happened!"

Gage's smirk soon faded away. "Don't try to weasel your way out of this! I've had to kill people before, but at least I had some control! No one can take you over and and make you do it, because even if they're in your head, they're still a part of you!"

"Dammit Gage, just hear me out!" Jackson screamed.

"NO!" He bellowed. "I've heard enough out of you! You can either sit the fuck down, or come at me! Either way, I'm not letting you anywhere near _**HER**_ again! Any of them!"

"...Goddammit," Jackson whispered to himself. He pulled out Titán, and set it to his Bowie knife counterpart. He set himself into a battle-ready stance, spreading his legs apart, pushing his body lower to the ground, and his arms raised to his chest, one of them gripping Titán.

Gage proceeded to do the same with Javix, now in its Kukri form. "…You've just made it a lot harder on yourself" Without another word, Gage charged.

Jackson followed suit, and met Gage in the middle of the street, their blades clashing against each other as they made contact. Jackson directed the blades to the left side, leaving Gage's chest and head open. His right hand released its grip on the knife, and went for the temple. He narrowly missed however, and Gage used this as an opportunity to disarm him. Using his prosthetic, he socked Jackson in the stomach, causing him to lose his grip on Titán, clattering to the ground. Gage kicked it away from them, and slashed upward at him. Jackson was able to recover quickly enough to lift his body away from the rising blade, and sent a boot to Gage's chest.

Gage let out an audible _oof!_ as he was sent backwards. Making use of the break in fighting, Jackson pulled off Khvostov and took off the safety, setting it to full-auto, and opened fire. Gage acted quickly and made his way to the closest piece of cover he could find, that being the window he sent Jackson flying through. Diving through the window, Gage pushed his back against the wall, turning Javix back into its revolver form.

Hearing an audible _click_ coming from Khvostov, Jackson immediately discarded the empty magazine, and popped in a new one. Loading one into the chamber, he resumed firing at Gage's general direction before he had a chance to attack. Jackson had no intention of killing Gage, in fact, it's the very last thing he wished to do, but he's not gonna let Gage keep him away from Weiss. As he fired wildly in Gage's direction with his right arm, he ran over to where Titán lied in the street, sweeping it up it his left hand and running into an alley farther down the street.

Before he was able to fully enter, Gage had fired off a few shots from Javix, most of them missing their target. However, one of them was lucky enough to graze Jackson's left shoulder before he ran out of sight. Gage cursed at Jackson for his cowardice, and gave chase once again.

Running into the alleyway, he was met with incoming fire from Jackson, forcing him to back out and take cover. Jackson kept aiming down the alleyway, desperately hoping to deter Gage. He had a white-knuckle grip on Khvostov, magazines at the ready to take the empty one's place in a moment's notice. Gage would occasionally peek around the corner to figure out where Jackson was, but he would always be met with a quick burst of concentrated fire, forcing him to reel back, though the bullets were only aimed at the corner itself and not Gage.

"I don't want to do this Gage!" Jackson called out. "What do I have to do to make this stop?"

"Pack your bags, head for Vacuo, and pray to God I don't ever see your ass again!" Gage replied.

"You know I can't do that Gage!" Jackson said. "I've got unfinished business here, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you stop me!"

"Well then, you better be ready to put me in the hospital for the next year," Gage said. "But I'm sure you can find it within yourself to do that!" Without hesitation, Gage went around the corner, and broke out into a full-blown sprint down the alley.

"Goddammit Gage, you stubborn bastard!" Jackson opened fired at Gage's legs, hoping to cripple him. But something surreal happened.

Jackson knew he was a damn good shot, he aimed exactly at Gage's right kneecap, but instead of Gage clutching his leg and falling down, the bullets had gone straight through, and collided with the concrete floor a foot behind him.

Jackson was too busy trying to figure out what just happened, that he didn't notice how quickly Gage was closing the gap between them until it was too late. By the time he snapped back into reality, Gage had already slammed into him and sent him to the floor. Before Jackson could get back up, Gage had gotten on top of him, essentially pinning Jackson to the ground, and began to wail on him.

"You pinned Ruby to a tree," Gage spat at him, swinging at his face. "And then you strangled her. You shot Blake in the leg, and let's not forget about Yang! You've tranqued her, had some real _fucking_ nerve to talk shit about her to her face, made her life flash before her eyes, and pistol-whipped her! But what you did afterwards…that _**really**_ made my blood boil.

"You snap out of your little coma, with Yang pointing a gun in your face. Instead of pushing it away, you take it, fully load it, hand it back to her, and tell her to shoot you. You almost made her kill you, you _begged_ her to do it. YOU CAN'T PUT THAT KIND OF PRESSURE ON SOMEONE, YOU TWISTED FUCK!"

During his rant, Jackson just held his arms in front of him, taking the brunt of the attacks, with only a few breaking through. Jackson was getting pissed now. When Gage's punches began to slow, Jackson made his move. As soon as Gage threw another punch, Jackson broke his defense, and grabbed his arm with both hands, and threw him to the side. Gage toppled over, and Jackson got back up, and switched positions with Gage, Jackson now throwing the punches.

"You're right Gage, I _am_ a twisted fuck!" Jackson exclaimed, as he began to wail on him like Gage did to him. "Losing a whole village in front of your own fucking eyes does that to you! Back at the infirmary, I was horrified with what I did! Yang wanted to kill me, she said it herself, and I gave her the chance because of what I did. I was ready to die, I had accepted my fate, but Ruby stopped her. Ruby, the person I almost killed with my own two hands, saved me from my own weapon. She didn't want me to die, but that didn't help my conscious. The things I did have haunted me since I woke up, and they will continue to haunt me for as long as I stick around them.

"But you know what? I can take comfort in knowing that they're willing to stay by my side through my episodes, my flashes, and help me get through it. Not only that, but now I've got another reason to keep on living, and her name is _Weiss Schnee_!"

Jackson threw harder punches, but Gage's defense was also much better than his own with his high-end prosthetic. Soon enough, Gage used his prosthetic to shove Jackson off of him, and rather hard, as Jackson flew back a few feet. He immediately got back on his feet, and pulled out Titán, transforming it to its Bowie knife and placing Khvostov on his back. At this point, Gage had gotten back on his feet, Javix in hand, and his nose began to bleed, but Jackson knows he never hit his nose. Regardless, he's had enough of this, he tried to defuse the situation, but that wouldn't work, and now he's more than willing to give Gage a fight, his vision beginning to turn red.

"You want a fight?" Jackson asked. "Well now you've got one Gage, come at me!"

Gage was more than happy to oblige. He charged Jackson once more, and Jackson did the same, but this time with some fire in him. Meeting in the middle, each one began to slash at the other, blades clashing and bodies dodging. Each were damn good at using their weapons, and they seemed to be at a stalemate, until Jackson unexpectedly switched tactics.

Rather than block the next slash, Jackson allowed it to follow through and hit, which was thankfully taken by the ceramic plate, and gave Jackson an opening. Gage put most of his momentum into the swing, so when it met nothing but air, the momentum toppled him forwards and surprised him. Jackson used this opportunity to get in close to Gage and left him unable to efficiently use his weapon. As Jackson closed in, he reared back his right fist and sent it slamming into Gage's stomach. He lost his breath for a moment, but soon got it back, although a moment is all Jackson needed. Using the momentum Jackson had from dashing into Gage's personal bubble, not only did he sock him in the gut, but he lifted him up as well, and carried him to a nearby building, throwing him through a broken window and crashing through old wooden furniture.

Hopping through the window, Jackson found himself in what appears to be the dining room in a house, a small chandelier, chairs, and a crushed dining room table, Gage lying in the center of the mess. Gage quickly got up from the floor, brushing off the small wood splinters littered around his jacket, letting out a small growl as he did so.

Jackson closed the gap and went for another gut shot, but Gage had other plans. Grabbing his arm, Gage swung Jackson into the wall behind him, putting him into a temporary daze, enough to use Javix to try and stab him. Jackson was able to recover quickly enough to grab Gage's right arm and prevent him from making any further progress towards him. Gage's prosthetic currently had him pinned against the wall, and began to press against his chest harder, cutting his breath short and making it difficult for Jackson to breathe. As the seconds passed, Gage's kukri slowly began to inch towards his body. In a last ditch effort, Jackson moved Javix to the left, and let it fly. Javix slammed into the wall two inches to his left, embedding itself two inches deep. When he tried to pull it out, Gage found himself struggling to yank it free.

Jackson used this small distraction to pry his prosthetic off his chest, enough to slip out and finally breathe properly again. Now more aggravated, Gage grabbed Javix with his left arm and tore it out of the wall with ease. By the time he turned around, Jackson was already heading towards him with Titán in hand, and by raw instinct, immediately acted.

Before Jackson was within reach, his right shoulder jerked back suddenly and violently, stopping him in his tracks. Before long, his right shoulder began to feel wet, and warm. Instinctively reaching for his shoulder, he was indeed right when he said it was wet, but it was also sticky. Pulling back his left hand, he found it to be coated in blood. Looking back at Gage, he found him gripping Javix in its magnum form, smoke emanating from the barrel.

He was shot.

Jackson only stared at his hand, processing this. Yes, he's been shot before, but those were with dummy rounds, and the four Gage shot earlier didn't quite count, three impacting his body armor and one simply grazing him. This was different. This hit flesh and bone, it punctured him. And most of all, it was done by a human hand, instead of Grimm claws. Something stirred inside Jackson, something… _psychotic_.

Jackson glowed a red hue, and before long, his shoulder was all healed, the glow receding soon after, his grip on Titán renewed. Gage saw Jackson's semblance activate, but he hasn't a clue what occurred, only that he was outlined with red for only a moment. However, something about Jackson has changed.

"What's the matter, Jay?" Gage mockingly asked. "Having second thoughts?"

"Actually Gage, I am," Jackson responded. "Well, third, technically. I wanted to keep things calm, that didn't last long. I then wanted to tire you out and knock you unconscious and leave you be, that didn't last long either, and now you've shot me. No, that simply won't do anymore. It looks like I'm gonna have to _break_ you Gage, really teach you a lesson." He gave Gage a grin. "How's about it?"

Jackson really must have a death wish if he's giving out cocky grins. "How's about I wipe that shit-eating grin off your face, and break a few bones while I'm at it?" Gage said.

"Perfect!" Jackson. "Class is officially in session!"

"…I'm gonna beat the holy _**hell**_ out of you." Gage growled. He didn't think he could've hated Jackson more than he already did, but it looks like the joker found a way to do so. Running towards Jackson, Gage turned Javix back to Kukri form, with every intention to run him through.

Jackson's smile disappeared, and as soon as he got within range, Jackson quickly used Titán to collide with Javix and slash it away, leaving him exposed. Getting in close, Jackson headbutted Gage, temporarily dazing him, and kicking him in the gut. Gage was knocked back towards the wall, hitting it and bouncing off a bit. Before he could act, Jackson grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him through another window leading into the alley next to the building they were currently in. Glass shards went everywhere as Gage went through, and Jackson went deeper into the building, trying to find a door, or doorway leading into the adjacent alleyway. Sticking close to the wall, he kept looking for some way into the alley, but he wouldn't be looking for long.

While looking for an exit, an arm smashed through the wall, latching onto Jackson's ceramic plating, and violently yanking him back out through the wall. Crashing through, Jackson came out the other side, slamming into the opposite side of the alley, concrete rubble now littering the floor, more so than usual. And lo and behold, the arm belonged to none other than Gage, who was opening and closing his prosthetic hand with some sort of discomfort visible on his face. Jackson somewhat struggled trying to get back on his feet after this turn of events. Despite what people may think, being dragged through a concrete wall puts some stress on one's body.

Once Jackson stood back up, Gage didn't hesitate to dash in and sent a fist to his gut. The force put into the punch sent Jackson into the air a few inches, and caused him to keel over once he hit the ground again. Getting back up on his feet, Jackson reared his fist back, and sent it careening towards Gage's face, only to be caught in his left hand, and slowly wrenched to the side. Jackson attempted to retaliate by throwing a swing with his left, but because it was his less dominant arm, and he was still somewhat recuperating from the wall yank, it didn't have nearly the punch he was hoping it would pack. The swing did nothing but nudge him out of place a bit, and irritate him.

Gage twisted the hand gripping Jackson's fist to the far left, forcing Jackson's arm to twist that direction as well, a groan slipping out of Jackson from the extreme discomfort. With his right arm, Gage socked Jackson across the face, bringing him down to one knee. Gripping the ceramic plate on his front shirt, he heaved him upwards, his grip on Jackson's hand still strong. Taking a deep breath, Gage squatted down a bit, and shot back up, throwing Jackson into a cluster of metal trash bins, creating a loud _CLANG!_ as he fell down on top of them, lids clattering to the ground around him.

Jackson laid among the heaps of bent bins and old trash, his body sore all over. He tried to get back up, but his body screamed at him to stop, the events now taking a toll on him. While Gage seemed to be in better shape, he was also breathing heavily, his nosebleed still ensuing. He kept opening and closing his prosthetic hand, and his face was covered in dirt and grime. He turned and began to walk away. Jackson's body outlined with a very faint red hue, not enough for Gage to notice, but enough to lessen the pain, but it still took effort to try and get back up.

' _Come on Jackson, get back up! Do it for Weiss!'_

Gage heard the clattering of trash lids and the clanging of trash lids, stopping in his tracks and letting out a very irritated growl. Turning back around, he faced Jackson. "Stay down Jackson," Gage said. "Final warning."

Miraculously, Jackson was able to get back on his own two feet, the thought of Weiss driving him to do so. He faced Gage with a determined look in his eyes, and a fire in his soul. Holstering Titán, he brought up his hands up to his shoulders, closing them into fists, ready to engage in fisticuffs. He brought his arms up, and quickly brought them back down (for flare), activating his gloves in the process, electrical currents being seen coursing throughout his fists.

He flashed Gage a quick smile, his lip bleeding. "*pant*, I could do this all day."

Gage only sneered and ran at Jackson. Swinging with his right, Gage went for his face once again, only for Jackson to dodge to the left, and come in with a gut shot. Upon contact, the electrical current expelled into Gage's body, and while it wasn't enough to do any real damage, the sudden jolt caused him to convulse for a moment, allowing Jackson an opportunity to take a jab at Gage's left side. The attack came out with the same results, a slight convulsion at the current. Gage tried to land a punch on Jackson, and at times he would succeed, but the gloves really turned the tables. Gage couldn't even use his arms to block, especially his left, it would just result in another shock and giving another opening for Jackson to exploit. As it ensued, Gage continued to take his lumps with little success at retaliation. If something didn't change quick, Gage would be in big trouble.

Jackson was on the offensive, leaving himself vulnerable to attacks. Gage immediately dodged to the right. Jackson had thought nothing of it, until he swung again, only for it to be caught in Gage's right hand, stopped in its tracks. The gloves gave out a shock throughout Gage's right arm, but through a great amount of sheer willpower, Gage managed to keep a grip on his hand, hatred burning bright in his eyes. Jackson was thrown off from the catch, that he didn't notice the metal backhand careening towards his face until it impacted.

The backhand snapped his head to the right, Jackson's legs giving out from under him. Gage bent over and grabbed the collar of his shirt, and dragged him out of the alley, back into the street. Once they were out of the alley, Gage tossed Jackson forwards, slamming on the floor with a groan coming out of him, confirming he wasn't unconscious. Struggling to get back up, Jackson tried to keep his balance, the force of the strike disorienting him. He looked back at Gage, Kukri Javix in hand, and a look that spelled out, _'You're_ _ **dead**_ _.'_ Jackson did the same, and brought out Bowie Titán. At this point, both of them were reaching their limits, both of their bodies already under a great amount of stress as it was. It was a miracle both of them were still standing after being thrown multiple times, as well as receiving so much punishment.

There was a tense silence, nothing but the distant gust of wind confirming that time hadn't frozen. Gage was the first to act. Spreading his legs out and getting low, he bursted forward in a powerful dash towards Jackson, who only had enough time to bring up Titán to block, but Gage wasn't going for his upper body. Once Gage closed the gap, he sent a left hook straight for Titán, making full contact and keeping him distracted. With Jackson occupied blocking the strike, Gage performed a downwards diagonal slash towards his midsection, and was successful.

Javix had cut clean through the cotton, and sliced his stomach. Jackson's midsection flared up with pain immensely, and it brought him to his knees. In reality, the cut was rather shallow, and would do nothing but leave a faint scar, but with the amount of stress already on Jackson's body, the pain alone had crippling effects. Gage was ready to end it all with one well-placed kick to the temple. He reared his right leg back, and let it fly. Rather than try to catch it, Jackson hunched forward, Gage's leg shooting over his head by a few inches.

The momentum of the kick spun Gage around, since he wasn't expecting Jackson to dodge it. As soon as his back was spun towards him, Jackson shot up, his stomach still flaring up, slashing at Gage's back with Titán, cutting through the jacket and cutting into his back. Gage arced backwards as he felt the pain, and Jackson wrapped his arms around Gage's waist. Using his legs, he heaved him up and over, slamming him down into the ground with every ounce of strength he could muster. The result was more than he thought it would be. Upon impact, the ground beneath them cracked and compressed, creating a shallow crater, and a dust cloud blew outwards. Gage broke away from Jackson's grip, and bounced after impact, landing face down the second time around. Jackson got up from his prone position, Gage lagging a bit behind.

Jackson quickly pulled out Titán, and aimed it at Gage's head using his left arm, and he found himself looking down the barrel of Javix. Gage had pulled out his own revolver, and had it aimed at Jackson with his left arm as well. Almost at the exact same time, both sides had pulled back the hammer on their revolvers, ever so closer to being wiped out of existence. Both of them were hesitant to so much as move, so as to not provoke the other in any way and cause a discharge, but neither of them were willing to pull back their revolvers and concede. Gage was currently devising a plan to put down Jackson by using his semblance to his advantage, but his train of thought came to a screeching halt when he heard a voice echo out through the empty city.

"Jackson!" Yang called out. "Where are you? Answer me dammit!"

Jackson was relieved to hear Yang's voice. "YANG, OVER HERE!" Jackson exclaimed. Now he had backup.

Yang turned a corner and came into view far down the street Jackson currently stood, gauntlets loaded and ready to rumble. "Jackson, what's going on?" Yang asked. "I heard gunshots and I-"

Yang stopped dead in her tracks, looking at the scene before her. Down the street, she saw Jackson on her left, bruised and battered, breathing heavily while aiming Titán at another person just out of his reach. On her right, the other person also seemed to be worse for wear as well, covered in dirt and grime, a large cut on the back of their jacket visible, also breathing heavily and also wielding a magnum, aiming it at Jackson. And aside from the bandanna wrapped around their bicep, their most prominent feature was the prosthetic arm that they had. The prosthetic arm belonged to none other than Gage Sim.

Her boyfriend.

Yang went wide eyed and covered her mouth, as she tried to comprehend Gage's presence. "G-Gagey?" Yang weakly asked.

Gage saw the stricken look on Yang's face, and his red eyes immediately dissipated, going back to their original turquoise color. His grip on Javix slackened as he continued to look at her. "Yang…" Gage whispered.

Jackson didn't see what was going on between them, he only saw Gage's face soften, and his grip on Javix lessen, a moment of weakness, a moment he intended to fully exploit.

Before Gage even knew what was happening, Jackson grabbed Gage's left arm with his right hand, and yanked it to his right, causing Javix to go off, shooting wide. No sooner than Javix going off did Jackson activate his gloves and pumped electricity into Gage's prosthetic. Gage let out a blood-curdling scream as he felt his arm short circuit and give out agonizing nerve signals due to the electrical overload it was experiencing, since it was far more sensitive to electricity than the rest of him.

" _ **NO!**_ " Yang shrieked, as she witnessed Jackson harm her Care-Bear, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She desperately wanted to get Jackson to stop, but she was glued to where she stood, her legs wouldn't listen to basic commands.

Gage nearly blacked out from the surge, but managed to stay conscious, though he had little to no control over his prosthetic and body. His legs were just barely able to keep him up, but even the slightest disturbance could send him toppling at this point. And Jackson would do more than slightly disturb him. Letting go of Gage's arm and holstering Titán, Jackson wounded up his right fist and delivered an uppercut to Gage, snapping his head up and causing him to fall backwards. Jackson kneeled down and grabbed the collar of Gage's shirt, lifting up his torso, his head dangling backwards. Jackson reared his fist back, ready to send it missiling towards Gage's face once again.

Jackson was about to let loose, until he heard a voice cry out.

" _JACKSON!_ " Yang screamed. " _STOP! PLEASE, JUST_ _ **STOP!**_ "

Turning back to Yang, he found her on her knees, covering her mouth, tears freely falling down from her red eyes. She was struck with fear and anger, though fear was the greater emotion Yang was currently feeling. Looking back at Gage, he found him lifting up his head to look him in the eye, giving him a small smile. At that moment, everything clicked.

' _Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me.'_

He let go of Gage's collar, falling back down to the ground. Grabbing his left arm, he pulled him up and slung his arm over his shoulder, and started to bring him over to Yang. As he did so, both Gage and Jackson began to glow red, Jackson using his semblance to fix the both of them up a fair bit.

"Aw Jay," Gage cooed. "You don't have to do do this for me." Gage planned on milking every second of this moment.

"Shut your goddamn mouth Gage," Jackson hissed. He struggled to speak as he was putting most of his energy and focus into healing the two of them. "Of all the people you could've miraculously managed to hook up with, it _**had**_ to be the one I'm trying to make amends with. Just my luck…"

Soon enough, Jackson and Gage arrived to where Yang was, who began to close the gap as she broke out into a sprint. Jackson let go of Gage, who was now able to stand on his own with only minor inconvenience. Yang collided with Gage, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him tightly, Gage happily returning the hug, though with not nearly as much force.

"Oh my god Gage," Yang gasped. "Are you alright?"

"Heh, I'm fine Taiyo-Chan," Gage responded. It took everything within Jackson to not burst out laughing, or give any indication of mock at the mention of Taiyo-Chan.

' _Fucking weeaboo…'_

"And your arm?" Yang asked worriedly.

"This thing?" Gage flung his left arm around, unable to use it to any extent. "It's fine. It'll reset soon enough, though the calibration may be a bit off after this, so I'll have to re-calibrate it later." Once Gage finished speaking, Yang turned her attention towards Jackson, bruised and battered, a cut through his shirt where Gage had sliced at him, and began to walk towards him.

Jackson put his hands in front of him. "Don't worry about me," Jackson said. "Healing semblance, remember?"

Yang kept walking towards him. "Good."

Without hesitation, Yang flared up her Aura, rearing her fist back and sending it colliding with Jackson's chest, shattering the ceramic plating and sending him flying backwards into the side of a building, the wall cracking under great pressure. Jackson clung to the wall for a moment, but soon fell off, landing on his chest and face.

"You _asshole!_ " Yang exclaimed. Gage let out a small snicker as he saw Jackson get socked into next year.

But that soon stopped when Yang turned on him, the fire still in her eyes. "And _you!_ "

' _Uh oh,'_ Gage thought.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Yang demanded. "And what were you doing aiming a gun at Jackson?!"

"I-erm-uh-" Gage stammered. He couldn't give a proper answer, because if looks could kill, Yang would have slain him a thousand times over by now.

"Wait a minute," Yang said, putting up a finger. "Were you here, to get rid of Jackson?"

"W-Well, in a manner of speaking," Gage replied. "I like to think of it more as I tried to persuade him into embarking on a trip to Vacuo, and strongly 'encourage' him if needed."

"Oh my god you tried to get rid of him," Yang said. "I just sent him careening across the whole city! Didn't you get the message I left for you?"

"That's why I'm here!" Gage replied. "You told me about what he did to you and the others, and I couldn't just stand by and let that happen!"

"And the second message?" Yang asked.

Gage froze. "What second message?"

"The one I sent you yesterday," Yang said. "I asked you to please try and not intervene, I wanted to talk with him and sort some things out first before anything else happened."

Gage's mind went back to when he crushed his scroll in his left hand, and failed to purchase a new one since then. "Oh…"

Yang pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Gage, listen." Her tone went from one of annoyance to sincerity. "I understand that you're worried about me and the others. It's one of the reasons I fell in love with you, you've always put others before yourself. But we can take care of ourselves, we always have each other's backs. And believe me, I didn't like Jackson one bit when we first met him.

"But he's changing," Yang continued. "He's making an effort to keep himself under control, and he's trying his best to make it up to us for what he did. He feels awful about it, he really does. Don't you remember what he did when he woke up from the coma?"

Gage nodded. "He told you to kill him, with his own gun." The very thought made Gage's anger flare, and clench his fist. "He almost made you kill him Yang, _kill him,_ another human being _._ "

"That wasn't his fault," Yang calmly said. "I was the one that threatened to shoot him then and there, but I never expected him to let me do it. Hell, he helped me to do it.

"I wasn't in my right mind when I left that first message, Care-Bear," Yang said. "I was a storm of emotions, and my head was clouded with anger and self-hate. I was furious at Jackson for what he did, but I was also furious with myself for letting it get as far as it did. I wasn't thinking straight, but after letting my head clear, and looking back at it, I saw things I never noticed before.

"When Jackson woke up, one of the first things he did was scream out for Ruby, desperately trying to find out how she was. When Ruby walked into the room, and he saw how much he affected her, he was broken, the shell, of a shell, of a person he once was. He didn't trust himself, he couldn't trust himself, no matter how much he wanted to."

"But Yang," Gage said. "He almost killed you and Ruby, and the others! That doesn't just pop out of nowhere, that's something that's a part of him, whether he wants to admit it or not."

"Maybe so," Yang replied, "But then again, he's been through a lot in the last three years, more than most people ever experience in their lifetime. I was hoping you of all people could understand that."

"What do you mean?" Gage asked. He was curious to where Yang was taking this, because throughout their whole interaction with each other, Jackson and Gage never went in-depth about their pasts, only that it was rough for the both of them. Neither of them pressed the other, and respected each other's privacy.

"You lost your family years ago," Yang said. "You were devastated, you had no idea what to do, where to go. So you disappeared, off the face of Remnant for a year." Yang gave Gage a smile. "And then I found you. Before you met me, you told me that you couldn't sleep, no matter how much you tried, the flashback of memories keeping you up.

"Jackson had something similar happen to him," Yang said. "He lost his family, no, his whole world, everything he ever knew, gone. It was cut down and went up in flames, and after three years, those memories haunt him to this very day. Now, not only does he have those memories to deal with, now he's gotta handle the new ones he's made for himself on top of those.

"Besides," Yang said. "Even if I let you go through with what you had planned, you'd be doing more harm than good at this point."

"Oh no," Gage said. "Please don't tell me…"

Yang nodded her head. "Seems like Rubes has taken a shining to him. His knowledge of weapons really sealed the deal for her. Plus, he's got Weiss clinging to his side too."

"How in the hell did he manage to do that?" Gage asked. He's only ever met Ruby, and not the rest of the team. But according to Yang, Weiss wasn't someone you joked around with. Going back to if looks could kill, with Weiss, half of Beacon would've been buried by now, and the cold shoulder went to a _whole_ new level with her…

"Well, they've known each other for half of their lives," Yang responded. "Ever since they were ten, they've always been together, playing games, singing, painting. They were really close, and for the last three years, she thought he was dead. It was really hard on her then, and it was hard on her now to see Jackson snap like that. You're right, what we saw from Jackson may be a part of him for as long as he lives. But I genuinely think that with Weiss, he might just change a lot faster than we hope, for the better."

Gage looked at the ground, clearly distressed. "I don't know Taiyo-Chan," Gage said. "What if he snaps again? What if he ends up doing worse than he did before? I just-"

Gage was cut off by Yang kissing him on the lips. He was caught off guard, but he soon melted into the kiss, closing his eyes and cherishing every lingering moment. Eventually, they broke off the kiss, and Gage looked back at Yang. She gave him a warm smile that melted his heart, and a wink that set fire to his soul.

"Don't worry Care-Bear," Yang cooed. "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. Don't you forget that's what my semblance relies on? And you can be damn sure that if Jackson ever gets out of line again, I'll be sure to set him straight, and send him on his way if he ever takes it too far."

Gage wanted to protest, but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. "*sigh*, I guess I don't have a choice, do I?" Gage asked. "Alright, I'll leave him to you, but so help me if he pulls anything-"

"He won't Gage," Yang said. "With Weiss in the picture, this'll be the last you hear of Jackson doing anything bad."

"I hope you're right," Gage grumbled. "For his sake…" Gage gave Yang one last peck on the cheek before turning to leave.

However, he stopped before he turned a corner. "It's been too long since we've gone out Taiyo-Chan," Gage said. "When you get back from this mission, I'm taking you out to dinner."

Yang smiled. "I'm looking forward to it. It better be a super fancy restaurant," Yang jokingly called out.

"Nothing but the best for my ray of sunshine," Gage said with sincerity. With that, Gage walked out of sight.

Yang's stare lingered for a moment longer, before letting out a content sigh. She soon remembered about Jackson, and decided to check on him, to make sure she didn't hit him too hard. They were still on a mission, after all.

But Yang was surprised to turn around, and find an empty space where Jackson once lied. "Jackson?" Yang called out. No response. "Come on, not this again," she groaned. Breaking out into a brisk jog, she set out to find out where Jackson ran off to.

…

 _Ten Minutes Later_

Jackson walked the empty streets back to their camp, infuriated with how things turned out. "Goddammit!" Jackson exclaimed. "Just as I started to patch things up with Yang, the world goes out of its way to fuck it up!"

"First I almost killed her sister and friends, and now I've beaten her boyfriend senseless!" Jackson hissed. "RrrrrrAAGGH! I'M TRYING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER, AND NOW THEY'VE COME OUT _WORSE!_ " At this point, he's just about ready give up completely, but before he could dwell in it any further, he turned the corner and found Ruby a few blocks down the street, with Zwei by her side. He decided to put his rant aside for now, and began to make his way towards her.

He was about to call her out, but he noticed something. Ruby's body was tense, her head hunched over. She peeked over a corner, facing a street out of his line of sight, before quickly going back around the corner. She hadn't noticed Jackson, and turned around quickly running back towards camp, Zwei following close behind.

Jackson began to jog towards her. "Ruby!" Jackson called out, grabbing her attention. She stopped running, and turned around, surprised to find Jackson here with her.

But before she could even get a word out, the ground beneath her feet cracked and caved in slightly.

' _Oh no,'_ Jackson thought. Before long, the road gave out completely, swallowing Ruby whole.

" _RUBY!"_ Jackson screamed, breaking out into a full-blown sprint. Ruby threw Crescent Rose upwards as she fell, and it landed on the edge of the hole, far enough away that it didn't risk falling in.

"Jackson, help me!" Ruby cried out. As he continued to sprint, he heard a small grunt, and then saw Zwei get thrown up into the air as well, landing on solid ground away from the hole as well.

"I'm coming Ruby!" Jackson exclaimed, making his way over there as fast as he could.

"Hurry," Ruby said. "The ledge I'm holding on to is starting to give way!" The chunk of road she held on to began to crack under her weight, and it wouldn't be long before that chunk tore off altogether.

"Just hold on, Ruby!" Jackson was pushing his body to the limit trying to get there in time, but he was afraid that he wouldn't get there in time. In a last ditch effort, Jackson threw himself to the edge of the hole, sliding up towards it, just as just as the ledge Ruby was holding on to gave way. Jackson outstretched his arm, reaching for Ruby's own hand. She stretched her arm out too, to try and catch his arm.

Too little, too late.

Jackson's fingers brushed Ruby's hand, just out of reach to grab hold, falling in and becoming engulfed by the darkness below.

" _ **NO!"**_ Jackson shrieked. _**"RUBY!"**_ Jackson heard footsteps rushing up behind him, as he continued to look down at the abyss below.

It was Yang. "What happened?" Yang asked, worry evident in her voice.

Jackson quickly stood up and faced her. "Ruby," he said. "She fell in!"

"What?!" Yang exclaimed. Zwei came up to her and barked at her, bringing her attention to Crescent Rose laying on the ground a few feet away. "Oh no…no no no nonon _nonoNO!_ "

"Yang, we have to go get the others," Jackson said.

"And leave her down there?" Yang asked. "Hell no! I'm gonna to get her!"

"Yang, just listen to me-"

"No, you listen Jackson!" Yang growled, her eyes now red. "That's my baby sister down there, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna go anywhere except down!"

"I didn't say we were gonna leave her!" Jackson gripped her shoulders, and shook her somewhat roughly. "She's in danger Yang! You guys were right, the White Fang are here in Mountain Glenn, but it's not where you think. They've been holed up in the cave system beneath Mountain Glenn, preparing for God knows what! They've _literally_ been under our noses this whole time! We need the rest of them here with us if we want to stand any chance against them."

Jackson broke his stare from Yang, and looked over to Crescent Rose. Releasing her, Jackson walked over to it and picked it up. Pulling Khvostov off his back, he placed Crescent Rose where Khvostov resided just a few moments ago, taking the safety off Khvostov and popping the sights.

He turned back to Yang. "I'm going down there after her," He said, determined to do this. "You have to go get Oobleck and the rest of your team."

"But-"

"Yang," Jackson said, his voice quiet and pleading. "We don't know what's down there waiting for us. For all we know, Ruby could already be dead, with hundreds of White Fang members already setting up a trap for whoever comes in after her. If that's the case, and I pray to God it's not, then we don't need to have you mowed down just as quickly. I'm the expendable one, nobody's gonna miss me except for Weiss. It's bad enough that Ruby may already be gone, we don't need Gage and your parents to lose you too."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You can be sure that if worse comes to worst, I'll be going down fighting every step of the way, and taking as many of those bastards with me. Please Yang, let me do this."

Yang was on the verge of tears, but she managed to hold herself together. She took a deep, shaky breath, and nodded. "Alright," she quietly said. "I'll be back in five minutes with the rest of them. Don't go and do anything stupid that'll get you killed, I still need to beat your ass for hurting Gage earlier."

Jackson smiled. "No promises Blondie." He neared to edge of the hole, and took a look down. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for what he may find. "Here goes nothing."

Without hesitation, Jackson hopped down into the abyss, swallowed up by the darkness that resided within. Yang's expression changed from uncertainty to determination, and she ran back to round up Oobleck and the rest of team RWBY.

Time to raid.

…

AN: **And that's the chapter! Firstly, I want to give a HUGE thank you to DatRtfantho for one, being one of the greatest friends I've ever had the honor of meeting, and two, letting this fight scene happen! I really do hope that I've done Gage justice in this chapter, I'd hate to find out that I've made him too strong, or too weak, or whatever, not doing him justice overall. Regardless of what's happened here, I want to know who YOU guys think would win in a fight between Jackson and Gage, and why. Leave your thoughts in a review, and feel free to tell me how I'm doing so far, it's always great to hear some feedback from you all, to know how I'm doing, and where I could improve.**

 **Secondly, I have something** _ **very**_ **special planned for the month of December in the form of a one-shot in honor of the upcoming holidays, so be sure to be on the lookout for that!**

 **And finally, I can never say this enough to make up for it, no matter how much I try, but thank you all. Thank you for following and favoriting the story, for leaving a review, hell, for taking a chance on me and giving my first fanfic a shot. You guys are my biggest drive for writing, and I cannot thank you enough for giving me the motivation to do so. I will always be grateful for my readers, and I will never take that for granted.**

 **I've rambled on for long enough. Get on outta here, ya crazy kids! Follow, Favorite, Review, and I'll see you in the next chapter! Until then!**


	14. Mountain Glenn: Down The Rabbit Hole

AN: **Hey everyone, welcome back to another chapter of Dead Man Walking! Now, someone pointed out to me how lackluster my summary was for my story. And looking back at it…Jesus Christ they were right. SO! There is now an updated story description to Dead Man Walking, just thought I'd put it out there, for those that may not notice it, and to the newcomers. Shoutout to aArahex CEO, The Kakapo, NaberRend, Rustler of Jimmies, firebirdnamedsam, and GodzillaRed-Senpai (another phenomenal name by the way) for following/favoriting the story, let's begin!**

 **Also, a pre-warning to the audience, if you felt like the story hasn't been deserving of the title M-Rated, well it's about to earn it in this chapter. Children, elderly, and the faint-of-heart will be notified appropriately.**

…

The fall was longer than he thought.

Hopping into the hole, Jackson was unable to see exactly how far down it lead, and it wasn't until he saw a faint green hue beneath his feet, did he realize how close he was to landing, and braced his legs moments before impact. Upon landing, a plume of dust was blown upwards as the the floor beneath his feet began to crack under the immediate pressure of Jackson's weight and force of impact. Standing up to his full height, he looked out to the underground skyline.

It was an almost exact replica of the abandoned city above him, the only difference being that this one was in much better condition, and it now had a ceiling. Not even a minute after he landed did Jackson begin to hear the whirring of machines, and the barking of orders, although the voice giving orders sounded familiar. Regardless, Ruby was still down here somewhere, and he was determined to find her. After looking around at his surroundings, he found himself standing atop one of the larger buildings in the underground village. He had to make his way to the street, but he had absolutely no clue what he expects to find down here, so he decided to keep to the high ground. He found a nearby rooftop, and got a running start before jumping off the ledge and sent towards the other building. He came to a rough landing on the next rooftop, but he managed to keep his footing and kept himself from falling off the roof. He repeated the process, and continued to hop from roof to roof, until he reached the building that resided at the edge of the street below him, and giving him a much better view of what's going on below him.

What he saw slightly drained the color from his face. In the streets below, to his left, he saw multiple White Fang members carrying and loading crates onto a nearby train, a very long one at that, carrying God knows what. Weapons, ammo, infantry, Dust; whatever the case, Jackson had no intention of seeing where it planned on going. And located just to the front of the train, he found Ruby, surrounded by White Fang members, with-

"Torchwick?" Jackson asked. Popping the scope on Khvostov, he looked through the sights to get a better view to confirm his suspicions. Sure enough, after close inspection, it was indeed him, one of Vale's Most Wanted.

"That bastard…" Jackson said. "That snake will do anything to save his own ass." Right as he said that, he saw Roman walk up to where Ruby currently stood, without anything to defend herself, and backhanded her, sending her to the ground. Jackson bit back his tongue as he inhaled sharply, his body jumping. His grip on Khvostov tightened immensely as he had to hold himself back from screaming out. Ruby pulled herself back up, and ran at Roman, attempting to land a hit on him. But he simply sidestepped the attack, and stuck his leg out, tripping her and causing her to fall back down. They were playing with her, like a predator playing with their food like a toy. That was it.

Jackson began to jump between roofs once again, sticking to the buildings and making his way closer to where Ruby currently was. Eventually, after being forced to climb up to some of the roofs on the way there, Jackson was finally there, as close as he could get to Ruby while still staying on the rooftop. Now that he was much closer, he didn't need the scope, and went back to the simple holographic sight. Taking aim once more, he got them back in his sights just in time to watch Ruby attempt to make a run for it. Using her semblance, Ruby went from standing in front of Torchwick, to ending up fifteen feet away from him, a flurry of rose petals where she once stood. It looked like Ruby might actually get away, and Jackson had a glimmer of hope that it may be true, until Roman pointed his cane towards her, the handle pointing towards her, and pushed a button located somewhere along the body of the cane.

As soon as he pushed the button, the handle shot out, attached by a string of industrial-strength nylon, and careened towards Ruby. It soon caught up with her, and hooked onto her shoulder, bringing her to an abrupt stop, yanking her upper body backwards hard and causing her to fall flat on her back. As soon as she landed, the nylon string began to be pulled back, some small mechanism within the cane doing the pulling, dragging Ruby with it. He had to do something, he wasn't just gonna stand around and watch this happen. He pulled back from the edge of the roof, all the way to the opposite edge of the roof from where he was just moments ago. Pressing a button on Khvostov, it transformed to its axe counterpart, and Jackson held it with both hands. He hefted the axe around, trying to get a feel for it, since this is the first time he will actually be using it in battle. Once he's familiarized himself with it, and grown comfortable with wielding it, Jackson broke out into a full-blown sprint.

' _Let's get this show on the road!'_

He began to quickly near the edge of the roof, and right before he was set to run straight off the edge, Jackson got low and used his legs to spring himself upwards off the roof. Jackson soared through the air straight towards the group of insurgents, still unbeknownst to them of his presence, but he'll drop in soon enough.

He was on a set collision course with one of the White Fang members, so he adjusted accordingly. Jackson's feet crashed into his back, and sent him to the floor, with Jackson landing on top of him feet first, full force. Jackson practically rode him like a surfboard for two feet, until the corpse came to a grinding halt. Everyone was thrown off by his surprise appearance, and Jackson used these precious few seconds to free Ruby. Hefting his axe upwards, he brought it down straight on top of the nylon cord, severing it in two and essentially freeing Ruby from Torchwick's grasp. After taking a moment to process it, the remaining insurgents pulled out their weapons and opened fire, and Roman was upset about his cane.

"Aw…" Roman said.

Acting quickly, Jackson brought up his axe and sent it into the insurgent's leg on his right. The axe dug deep into their leg, right above the knee, as they screamed out in agony. Quickly yanking it out, he brought it around a full 360 degrees, turning his body with the axe, until it collided with the same person's back, the blunt side making contact right between their shoulder blades. With one leg out of commission, they were sent toppling over, with severe spinal damage done to them. With him out of the way, Jackson placed Khvostov on his back, right next to Crescent Rose, and began to make a beeline for Ruby. He paid no attention to the man whose rib cage he caved in with his feet, both his lungs collapsing as he slowly suffocated.

Ruby made no effort to unhinge herself from Torchwick's hook handle as she was being dragged back, but when the line suddenly went slack and she stopped moving, she just lied there, confused as to why she stopped. When she began to hear gunfire and someone scream out in pain, she began to take action. But before she could so much as lift herself back up, she was scooped up by someone, and ran off with her in their arms away from the White Fang. She was about to try and wriggle free of their grasp, but then they spoke.

"Ruby!" Jackson exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

"Jackson!" Ruby exclaimed as well. She couldn't be happier that he was here with her. "I'm fine. Thanks for the help back there." As Ruby continued to talk, Jackson kept up his pace, running towards the nearest building as rounds collided with the ceramic plate on his back. Shielding Ruby as much as he could, Jackson collided with the door with his right shoulder, bashing it down with ease. Setting Ruby down, she was finally allowed to use her own two feet, though the hail of incoming fire sent her down to her knees, while Jackson opened fire back at the White Fang. He eased off the fire for a moment to take Crescent Rose off his back and hand it to its rightful owner.

Ruby gratefully took back her weapon, but as she did so, she got a good look at Jackson, and let out a gasp.

"Jackson…" Ruby trailed off. She saw him covered in bruises and dirt, cuts and tears all over his shirt, his somewhat heavy breathing, and especially the large slash on his shirt at his midsection. It was difficult to notice, but Ruby was able to make out the separate shards of the ceramic plates on his chest, as well as hear the faint _chink_ of two or more shards colliding as he moved around.

Jackson understood what she was thinking, based on her facial expression, and quickly waved her off. "Don't worry about it," Jackson assured. "I can still shoot a gun, which means I can still kick some ass." Another volley of fire impacted with the building they were using as cover, and it brought them back down, pushing themselves against the wall.

"Wait, where are the others?" Ruby asked. She began to return fire alongside Jackson, who was using the burst fire on Khvostov.

"Yang went to get the others," Jackson quickly replied. "They'll be here soon, but until then, we gotta hold out." Ruby nodded and returned to firing at the insurgents. But when she went to peek over her cover, a hail of fire descended upon her, sending her quickly back down.

"What the heck?!" Ruby exclaimed. "Where'd the extra help come from?"

Jackson and Ruby had caused a large commotion, and more White Fang members hopped out of the train, arming themselves with the weapons they found in the nearby weapon crates, and unloading in their direction. Soon, it became too concentrated for either of them to pop out of cover for more than a second, so Jackson had a change of plans.

"Ruby, you stay here," Jackson said. "Make sure they don't get anywhere near here for at least a few minutes." As soon as he finished his sentence, Jackson ran farther into the building and out of sight.

"Jackson wait!" Ruby called out. She tried to go after him, but the White Fang kept her pinned down in her current spot. "Damn it…" Ruby cursed under her breath as she loaded a round into Crescent Rose. As the White Fang kept fire on the building, Roman inspected his now defunct cane, and looked at it with displeasure.

"That damn brat," Roman grumbled. Pressing a button on his cane, the inner mechanism ejected the remainder of the nylon cord, as he pulled out another handle from his trench coat, with a brand new nylon cord attached to it. He may be a very cocky individual, but he's not stupid. It never hurts to prepare for any contingency. Feeding the nylon cord back into the inside of the cane, the small inner mechanism eventually took over, and wound up the remainder of the cord once it was fed enough, and the handle popped back into place, like it never happened. Once his cane was fully functional again, he finally decided to take part in the assault. Lifting his cane, a small sight popped up towards the very end of the cane, and revealed a barrel at the bottom of the cane. Taking aim, Roman fired, sending explosive projectiles towards Ruby, and doing some serious damage towards her cover.

Ruby's cover began to break away at an alarming rate, and if something didn't change soon, she'd end up like swiss cheese…whatever the hell _that_ was. "Dang it Jackson, where are you?!" Ruby screamed.

To answer her question, bursts of fire could be heard from above her head, and the oncoming hail of bullets either dramatically lowered or stopped altogether. Popping her head over her cover, she found multiple White Fang members on the floor, wounded, while the others, as well as Torchwick, scrambled for cover. Quickly dispatching an empty magazine, Jackson popped in a new one and returned to delivering Hell from above. As he continued his onslaught, Ruby heard an explosion off in the distance, and looking to her left, she found multiple White Fang Members run out into the street from the street perpendicular to it, with Team WBY and Doctor Oobleck taking up the rear of the fleeing insurgents. Ruby couldn't be happier to see them, and while Jackson couldn't directly see her, when he saw WBY appear in his peripherals, he could make an accurate assumption.

"Hey Ruby!" Jackson called out from above. "You might want to fill them in on what's happening here. On my mark, use your speed and make a run for it towards them, I'll cover you!"

"Got it!" Ruby acknowledged. Loading a round into Crescent Rose, she fired it off behind her, propelling her through the doorway and out towards her group.

Roman saw her propel out of the building and called out to the White Fang. "Kill her!" He exclaimed, firing at her. The others followed suit and opened fire on her, though it didn't last long as Jackson resumed his own onslaught on them, taking down two more White Fang members. Roman had gotten real fed up with Jackson. Pulling a large red Dust crystal out of his pocket, he chucked it towards Jackson's little nest, and took aim. As soon as it passed through one of the windows entering the floor Jackson was on, Torchwick fired. Jackson saw the crystal fly through a window to his right, and his eyes widened.

"SHIT!" Jackson screamed, scrambling for cover.

Roman's aim was true, as it impacted the crystal and an explosion engulfed the entire floor, setting it all ablaze. When he felt like he had taken care of Jackson, he made his way toward the train and climbed aboard.

Using her semblance, Ruby reunited with her team, getting a bear hug from Yang.

"Thank God you're okay!" Yang gushed. She let go of her younger sibling so she can fill them in on what's going on.

"Guys, the White Fang loaded a train filled with fighters and weapons and a bunch of other stuff!" Ruby quickly spewed. "They're heading somewhere with all that on-board."

"Impossible!" Oobleck stated. "Every subway has been sealed off, there's nowhere for a train to go!"

The sound of an explosion caught all of their attention. Facing the disturbance, they found themselves facing a building with a whole floor bursting into flames. And to prove Oobleck wrong, they heard a large _HISSSS_ , and found out the train Ruby spoke of earlier began to move. It was moving very slowly, but it started to pick up speed, and quickly.

"Well," Weiss said. "It's going somewhere!

As they stood there, overwhelmed by the sudden overload of events, They were caught even more off guard, when they saw Jackson jump through a window, the fire licking at his heels as he made his escape. He hit the ground and went into a roll, coming to a stop on top of the train tracks. He looked to his left, and made brief eye contact with team RWBY and Doctor Oobleck, before looking to his right, and breaking out into a sprint towards the train.

"What are you guys waiting for?!" Jackson called over his shoulder. "We've got a train to catch!"

The group snapped out of it and began to run towards the train as well. By the time they neared the tail-end of the train, Jackson had already climbed aboard, extending a hand to them to help them up. Ruby was the first of them to be helped aboard, using her semblance to quickly catch up to the train, Oobleck following close behind by the sheer amount of caffeinated energy he had by practically breathing in coffee 24/7. Yang used her gauntlets to propel herself onto the back of the train, not needing Jackson's help. Weiss used a glyph or two to propel herself forward as well. By the time it was Blake's turn, the train's speed was high enough to slowly start increasing the gap between itself and Blake, unable to keep up.

Blake responded by transforming Gambol shroud into a boomerang-like shape, and threw it at Jackson.

"Jackson, catch!" Blake called out. As it spiraled through the air, Jackson noticed that there was a ribbon attached to Gambol Shroud. Gripping a metal bar behind him with his left, he stuck his right arm out, catching Gambol Shroud and keeping an iron grip on it. Giving it a hard tug, he pulled Blake close enough to the train, where Yang was able to come in and stick a hand out to meet Blake, who took it without hesitation.

As soon as she was aboard the train, Jackson handed back Gambol Shroud to Blake. Once everyone was accounted for, they began to take the metal rungs to the roof of the train. However, their unauthorized boarding didn't go unnoticed. One of the White Fang members aboard the train took notice of them, and attempted to notify the others, but a blow to the head by none other than Yang quickly put him out of commission. However, word still managed to make its way to the head of the train, and right into Roman's ear.

Jackson and the others all currently stood on the roof on the very back of the train, trying to figure out where the hell this train was going, until they heard footsteps ahead of them. Looking towards the front of the train, they found multiple White Fang members climbing on the roof from the boxcars beneath them, filled to the brim with soldiers.

"Get the humans!" One of the female insurgents exclaimed.

Team RWBY and Jackson sprung into action, holding their ground and fighting them back. One of the White Fang members came towards Jackson with only their his fists. He took a few swings at Jackson, but Jackson was able to dodge them all with ease. He was quick with his hands, but this guy didn't know the first thing about hand-to-hand combat, otherwise he would've known not to come in unarmed. Jackson ducked under the next punch he threw, and used Axe Khvostov to sweep the man's legs out from under him, causing him to be suspended in the air for a moment, enough for Jackson to bring his axe up and bring it down hard on his chest. The insurgent came crashing down on the roof hard, with Jackson proceeding kick him off the side of the train, rolling to a stop on the dirt tracks below.

Jackson and the others proceeded to fight the insurgents climbing to the roof, until Weiss had called out to Oobleck for something, catching the rest of the group's attention.

"Uh, Professor Oobleck?" Weiss asked.

"Doctor…" Oobleck said.

Weiss gave him a quick scowl, before returning to the matter at hand, and pointed at an opened hatch. "What is that?"

Walking up next to Weiss, and taking a peek inside the hatch, he found himself face-to-face with a large metal box with a blank screen and two wires jutting out, one red, one blue.

"That my dear, would be a bomb," Oobleck simply stated.

"What?!" Everyone cried out in unison. Right after they cried out, the bomb armed itself, and the blank screen began to flash on and off as it gave off a beeping noise that slowly began to speed up.

"Everyone, hop onto the next boxcar!" Oobleck exclaimed. "Blake, hop down and detach this one from the rest of the train!" Everyone nodded their heads and quickly hopped over to the next boxcar ahead, while Blake dropped down to the hitch attaching the explosive one to the rest of the train.

However, right as she lifted Gambol Shroud, the boxcar detached itself, Blake having done nothing.

"Huh?" Blake thought aloud. Oobleck loomed over the edge of the boxcar they were currently on to see how Blake was doing, and when she finally noticed him, she told him what had happened.

"The boxcar detached itself!" Blake exclaimed.

"What?" Oobleck also asked aloud. The detached boxcar quickly began to lose speed, and soon after, went up in a ball of fire and twisted metal as it popped off the tracks and tumbled like a large boulder.

He had no time to dwell in it, as Jackson called out to the rest of the group. "Uh, guys," Jackson said. "There's another bomb in this one too!"

"What?!" Oobleck cried out again. Sure enough, after coming up next to Jackson, there lied a bomb in the top hatch of the boxcar. Oobleck felt his heart drop, and began running up to the next cart.

"No no no no no no no no," Oobleck said as he opened up the next hatch. Lo and behold, another bomb.

He turned back to the others. "They're all loaded with a bomb!"

As soon as he finished saying that, the boxcar team RWBY and Jackson were currently standing on detached as well, and was losing speed fast, and the second bomb armed itself as well.

"Run for it!" Ruby yelled. The others didn't have to be told twice. They all broke out into a sprint to make it to the next boxcar, with Ruby reaching it first. Weiss and Yang made it afterwards, and Jackson and Blake lagged behind, the distance between the two carts already grown to be a bit long. Both jumped for the other cart, and they both made it, though Jackson stumbled a bit on the landing.

Looking back at the cart, it lost speed quickly, before detonating and flying off the tracks as well. However, upon closer inspection, what Oobleck saw made his blood run cold.

Among the destruction of the boxcars and the debris from the surrounding tunnels, through the gaping holes came large amounts of Grimm, trapped within small pockets in the wall for God knows how long. Soon enough, Deathstalkers came through the walls, and a King Taijitu from the ceiling came plummeting down. Every Grimm was focused on the moving train, and quickly began to chase after it.

Oobleck snapped his fingers and got the attention of the group. "Listen up, the White Fang are using the boxcars to blow holes in the mountain, releasing Grimm and luring them to the city!"

"How do you know the train's heading for Vale?" Jackson asked.

"I checked my compass," Oobleck said. "This train is pointed to the North-East, heading straight for the City of Vale. If this train continues on the path it's currently on, it will lure massive amounts of Grimm to the heart of the city, inside the walls!

"Mister Wesson!" Oobleck said. "Take Miss Xiao Long, Miss Belladonna and Miss Schnee with you and head for the front of the train and stop it before it can arrive to its destination!"

"What about us?" Ruby asked, speaking about herself, Oobleck, and Zwei.

"You and I will handle any White Fang that come our way as we make our way to the front of the train as well. We will remain above while the others got through each boxcar on their way to the front. Hurry now, we don't have much time!"

Quickly nodding, Yang looked for the nearest hatch that didn't house another bomb, and punched it in with her gauntlets, creating an entrance for herself and the others to enter through. Once Jackson and the others had entered, Oobleck, Ruby and Zwei made their way to the front of the train, ready for whatever comes their way.

…

Yang was the first to enter the boxcar, Jackson shortly after, Weiss and Blake following suit. Each landing thud echoed and bounced off the walls within the metal container, and what they saw waiting for them came as a surprise. Standing in the middle of the room, there was a very small girl, around Ruby's height, but the aura she emitted made her older. She wore a long-sleeve white jacket, however the front portion was cropped only to reach the bottom of her bosom, and the coattails had reached down to her butt. She wore black skin-tight jeans and boots with four-inch heels that reached up to just below her knees. Underneath it all, she wore some kind of one-piece, and black gloves as well. Sporting a smile, she held an umbrella in her right hand, intricately designed with complex patterns and weaved with precision. However, the most intriguing was her hair and eyes. Her hair was pink and brown, separated straight down the middle, including her eyes, one pink, the other brown. But Jackson could've sworn he saw the girl's eyes change color when she blinked.

Since their encounter, the girl hadn't spoken a single word to them, leading Jackson to believe she might be some kind of mute. Before dwelling in it any further, Yang had stepped forward, clenching her fists.

"This one's mine," Yang said. They all nodded silently, having faith that Yang could handle her. Knowing what Yang was capable of, this should be a quick fight. But looks can be deceiving.

Jackson, Weiss and Blake began to run towards the door behind the mystery girl. Before she could make any attempt to stop them, Yang had suddenly dashed forward and sent a fist darting towards her, but she quickly parried the blow, and allowed enough time for the three to get through to the other room, the door sliding shut behind them. They were now once boxcar closer, but now they had another obstacle in front of them. And this one looked much more intimidating.

The obstacle in question was another White Fang insurgent, but this one was different than the rest. For one, this man was a giant compared to the rest of the insurgents they've seen thus far. He was far more built than the others, and he was quite tall, close to, if not more than Jackson's own height. He sported a White Fang mask that covered his whole face, instead of the upper-half and wore the signature White Fang attire, but the vest had no sleeves on it, with tattoos on his left arm. As if his stature wasn't enough to ward off any individuals stupid enough to go up against him, his weapon of choice put the bloody cherry on top. Wielded in both hands was the equivalent of a chainsaw hopped up on steroids. The motor was something you'd see on a motorized scooter, and the saw itself was very broad and very long. The length of the weapon was long enough that it would reach the brute's collarbone if it stood up. Revving up the chainsaw, it let out a roar that gave the cry of an Ursa a run for its money.

They all readied themselves to try and take this behemoth down, but Weiss spoke up. "You guys go on ahead," she said. "I've got this one."

At the sound of that, Jackson turned towards Weiss, worry etched on his face. "Weiss, are you sure about this? I can take this clown."

The worry for her safety in his voice didn't go unnoticed by Weiss, and she gave him a small smile for reassurance. "Don't worry about me, Jackson. I'll be fine."

Jackson was conflicted to let her go against this man, but he decided to trust her. He looked back towards Blake, who gave him a nod to add to the reassurance. He gave her a nod in return, and stole one last glance at Weiss, before he advanced forward with Blake. The man paid no attention to either of them, instead all of his focus was pinned on Weiss, and that already threw Jackson off.

Up ahead was the final boxcar before they arrived to the control room. As Blake and Jackson transitioned from the last boxcar to the current, the ground beneath them shook, as well as the roof above, as they could hear a distant thumping from the roof of the train. That wasn't a good sign, but there were more important matters to tend to, which was stopping this train. Entering into the new boxcar, they saw yet another obstacle, but this one bore a familiar face and familiar attire. Roman twirled his cane in his right hand as he shot a smile at the duo.

"Well, isn't this a surprise," He said with mock pleasantry. "Hey there Kitty Cat. Y'know we really need to stop meeting like this, people are gonna talk…"

He then looked at Jackson, and his smile turned to a sneer. "And you, I thought I left you in a burning heap."

"Please, as if it'd be that easy to get rid of me," Jackson shot back. "Oh, I'm gonna enjoy punching your teeth in for that." Jackson began to advance towards Roman, but before he could go any further, Blake placed an arm across his chest, stopping him.

"No," Blake said coldly. "Roman's mine. You go ahead and stop the train."

Jackson looked at her that said ' _You can't be serious'._ Blake sent back a look that had murder written all over it, so Jackson begrudgingly nodded. Allowing Blake to lower her hand, Jackson advanced once again, but this time past Roman, straight for the door behind him. Again, Roman paid no mind to him, and kept all of his focus on Blake.

Running through the door, Jackson now found himself in the front of the train, the control room. However, there was someone manning the controls, another White Fang insurgent, and he heard the sliding of the doors behind him, but didn't he didn't bother to turn around.

"Back already, Torchwick?" The man called out. "I thought the fight would've lasted longer." Before he knew it, he felt something cold come into contact with the back of his head, and the audible sound of a _click_ as Jackson pulled the hammer back on Titán, now only a pull away from his brains being splattered on the window in front of him.

"Roman's occupied at the moment," Jackson said. "Looks like you're gonna have to settle for little old me. Now, listen carefully-"

Jackson didn't even get to finish his sentence before the insurgent sprung into action. He quickly crouched down and spun around, lashing out at Jackson's right side with a quick jab and causing him to clench his fist and fire off a bullet at the window by accident. It left a hole in the windshield, but the cracks began to branch out, as the air slamming against it caused it to slowly weaken. Jackson knew he didn't have long before the windshield gave out altogether.

Acting quickly, he brought his arm down on top of the insurgent, making contact with the top of his head and putting him into a temporary daze. Before he could recover, Jackson flipped Titán so he was holding the barrel, and swung it hard against the insurgent's head, the grip dealing a heavy blow to him. He toppled over and fell in a heap, still conscious. He let out a groan as he brought a hand to his left temple, unknowingly rubbing it to soothe the pain, but Jackson wasted no time. Holding Titán by the grip once again, Jackson took aim, and shot the man's left kneecap. That definitely woke him up, as he screamed out in pain, clutching his injured knee, blood pouring out between his fingers. Grabbing the front of his vest, Jackson yanked him back up, and placed Titán right below his head, aiming it upwards.

"Nice try asshole," Jackson spat. "Now listen carefully, because I'm not gonna ask again. I'm gonna bring you over to the controls, and you're gonna bring this train to a grinding halt, nice and easy, right where I can see you. Otherwise, I'll hang you in front of this train and drop you into the mouth of this metal monster."

The fear quickly drained from the man's eyes, and was replaced with humor. He chuckled at first, then broke out into crazed laughter, which immediately got on Jackson's nerves.

"Something seem funny to you?" Jackson asked.

The insurgent calmed down enough to speak, but a few snickers slipped out here. "Hehe, you think that you can stop this train? The brakes are cut, pal. There's no way to stop this speeding bullet from running it's course!" He returned to snickering in Jackson's face, only angering him even more. Soon enough, an old friend made his appearance.

Out of the corner of his eye, a column of black smoke rose from the floor, and began to take shape. After a moment, the hazy figure solidified, and revealed itself to be Jackson's doppelganger, with a great big smile on his face. Jackson felt himself slowly lose control over himself, his doppelganger taking the wheel. But Jackson didn't put up much of a fight to keep him at bay.

' _i'Ll taKe ThIngS oVer froM HeRe foR A bIt,'_ his doppelganger said. ' _yOu'Ll rEgaIn coNtroL sOon EnoUgH.'_ The doppelganger lined himself up with Jackson, and moved so that his body matched Jackson's in every aspect, and took over.

He began to speak, and Jackson mimicked him exactly. "So you're telling me you can't stop this train," Jackson said. "Well, there's only one thing to do now…"

With the doppelganger controlling him, he kept his grip on the insurgent's vest, and dragged him over to a nearby door, leading to the outside of the train, and to the very front of it as well. Opening it up with one hand, a large gust of air burst into the control room, causing Jackson to lose his balance for a moment, but he soon regained his footing, and stepped outside. The rush of air blowing past him caused him to close his eyes, but he opened them again, and advanced towards the front of the train.

The smirk that was on the insurgent's face was quickly replaced with a look of fear and desperation. He thrashed around in Jackson's hand in an attempt to break free from his grasp, but Jackson's grip held strong, and eventually, they were now standing in front of the train, the railing in front of them keeping them from falling in front of the train. Heaving the faunus over the railing, the insurgent now dangled in the air, six feet above certain death. Doppelganger Jackson stood right next to the real Jackson, still continuing to hold control over him.

The White Fang member looked at Jackson in the eye, showing desperation and plea. "Please," he begged. "Don't kill me, I want to live!"

"I told you what would happen if you couldn't stop the train," Jackson said. "Now here we are, and I'm now gonna use you to try and stop the train, an alternative solution."

"My body won't even slow this damn thing down, let alone stop it!" He screamed. "Please, let me go, PLEASE!"

Jackson paused, seeming to consider what he said. After a moment, he finally responded. "Maybe you're right, maybe your corpse won't bring this train to a stop." The insurgent was flooded with relief to hear that. Then Jackson spoke again, and his doppelganger spoke as well with a toothy grin at the same time, rather than just lip sync.

"But it's worth a shot."

" _bUt iT's WorTh A shOt."_

Without hesitation, Jackson tossed him forward, the man letting out a blood-curdling scream as he fell towards the tracks. As soon as he hit the ground, he lost a large amount of speed, and was engulfed by the train immediately after, falling out of Jackson's line of sight. (AN: **Here's where the M-Rating kicks in.** )

The insurgent was thrashed and battered around very violently underneath the train. Bones were shattered, muscles were torn apart, limbs and torso were twisted, turned, and compacted in ways that weren't humanly possible. At some point, the insurgent's upper body had popped out of the train's undercarriage, and his midsection now lied in the way of the train's wheels, as immediate as the upper body popped out, it was immediately torn off from its lower body, the train's wheels acting like a very dull, but very heavy knife.

By the time the full length of the train had fully passed over the corpse, there was nothing recognizable about it. Blood was splattered along the tracks for half a mile, and the corpse(s) was thrashed about to the point it was a _literal_ bloody pulp. Bone powder mixed into the bloody chum that was a mashed mixture of muscle tissue and intestines, as well as bile and other body fluids for both the upper and lower body portions, smaller amounts of it splattered and smeared all along the tracks. The White Fang mask was shattered beyond repair, and the clothing was soaked in blood and buried under the disgusting pile of chum. Some bones remained intact, and jutted out of the piles of grounded meat. When the Grimm reached the location, they looked down at what remained of the insurgent, and even most of them reeled away from the sight of it, continuing to follow the train. However, some stayed behind and began to feast on the bloody chum placed before them, not caring what it was or where it came from.

Jackson remained at the front of the train, staring at the tracks in front of him, before one lone thought made it into his mind.

'… _wElL thAt dIdn'T wORk.'_

The doppelganger released his grip on Jackson, who immediately fell to his knees, breathing heavily.

" _i'Ve Had mY fUN,"_ The doppelganger said. " _I'lL lEavE yoU To iT, jAcKsoN. gO sEe wHat YOuR lItTlE gRouP Is uP tO."_ Without uttering another word, he slowly began to dissipate, letting out a deep chuckle as he did so, eventually gone entirely.

Jackson looked at his hands, and he saw that they were shaking horribly, not wanting to believe that he had just done that. But he did, and what made it worse is that he believed it was him that did it. Not his mystical doppelganger, _him._ After all, the bastard had to have come from somewhere. The idea of murder didn't make Jackson shiver in his boots, it was how he decided to go about it. He could've planted a bullet between his eyes, and that would've been it, a quick, painless, _humane_ death. He was shaken, but he made himself remember that this isn't the first time it's happened. The burning village, the White Fang responsible for the murder of his family, his friends. He killed them, and he felt like they were deserving of it. He took deep breaths, and calmed himself down. He was alright. He was cool.

Slowly standing back up, he looked back at the tracks for a brief moment, before returning back inside the front cabin, and heading towards the way he came in to notify the rest of the group. Pulling out Khvostov, he readied himself for whatever may be on the other side of the door, and advanced. But before the door could even slide open, Jackson heard a loud and hard thud against the door, and he didn't know whether to be concerned, or relieved. When he was sure there wouldn't be any more projectiles flying towards the door, Jackson opened it up and stepped through.

Quickly bringing Khvostov to bear, he was prepared to dispose of any obstacle set before him. Thankfully, he didn't have to, as he saw Blake holding Roman at gunpoint, his cane out of arm's reach. Blake tore her eyes away from Torchwick to face Jackson.

"Jackson," Blake started, "Why are we still moving?"

Jackson merely sighed. "The brakes are cut, we've got no way of stopping this train."

Roman let out a chuckle as he lied on the floor. "Looks like you're outta luck pal. Before long, this train's gonna crash into the heart of Vale, and there's not a damn thing you kids can do about it!" He broke out into laughter, and really pissed off Jackson, and got a sneer from Blake as well. Jackson walked over to where he lied on the floor, and pulling his left leg back, sent it straight into the left temple, snapping his head to the right and knocking him out cold.

"This guy's really getting on my nerves," Jackson simply said. "I say we toss him out the back end of this train and let the Grimm deal with him."

Blake shot him a dirty look after his remark. "Jackson, now isn't the time to joke around, we've got a serious problem on our hands."

With a straight face, Jackson asked, "What makes you think I was joking?"

Before Blake could even respond, the door behind her slid open, and coming out of the boxcar, came Weiss, sliding and rolling across the floor, unmoving. Jackson saw the whole thing unfold, and his heart dropped down into the deep pit in his stomach. He immediately ran over to her, and knelt down. With so many things going through his mind, and none of them good, he placed a finger on her neck to make sure she still had a pulse. Jackson felt a pulse, and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. But Weiss still looked to be in bad shape. Her clothing was covered in dust, cuts in the fabric here and there, and while having cuts on her body as well, her face was all bruised.

Seeing Weiss in her current state made Jackson's heart lurch and caused his eyes to water, and he was about to fix her up, but someone stepped out of the boxcar Weiss just flew out of, and it was the large insurgent Weiss had gone up against. With his chainsaw in tow, he let out a low chuckle as he looked at Jackson and Blake.

Jackson went from heartbreak to pure unbridled rage, as he knew that he was responsible for beating up Weiss. Picking her up bridal style, Jackson carried her over to where Blake currently stood, still nearby an unconscious Torchwick. He placed Weiss in Blake's arms, who she took without hesitation, and turned back towards the giant, switching Khvostov to its axe form, itching for a fight with him.

The insurgent could clearly see his displeasure with him, and laughed out loud. "You got a problem with me pummeling your girlfriend?" He asked. "That bitch and her family have been fucking over faunus for generations, and that's going to continue to happen if something doesn't change, and that change starts with her."

Jackson's grip tightened on Khvostov immensely, as his vision turned red. "I'm gonna enjoy cleaving your skull straight down the middle of your head."

The insurgent revved up his chainsaw. "Go ahead, just try and do it."

"Gladly." Without another word uttered, Jackson charged.

As Jackson continued to close the gap, the insurgent held his ground, ready to clash with him, bringing up his chainsaw. Soon, Jackson was right in front of him, lifting up his axe and bringing it back down with ferocity. Quickly bringing up his beefed-up chainsaw, the insurgent was able to block the strike as a flurry of sparks appeared as the weapons clashed against each other. Pushing the axe away from his person, the insurgent sent a boot to Jackson's chest, sending him stumbling backwards. As Jackson struggled to regain his footing, the giant dashed forward and slashed his chainsaw horizontally in a wide arc. Jackson knew he wouldn't be able to effectively block the attack, it would either disarm him, or _**disarm**_ him. Instead of making a feeble attempt to parry the blow, he stopped trying to regain his balance, and allowed himself to fall to the ground.

As he fell back, the chainsaw flew past him mere inches above his face. His back finally made contact with the ground, and as soon as he did, he pressed a button on Khvostov's handle, causing a barrel to open up right where the eye of the axe is located, and a small trigger to pop out from the throat of the handle. Jamming the head of the axe at his stomach, Jackson pressed down on the trigger and opened fire.

During melee form, Khvostov can only fire in semi-auto mode. So, Jackson was only able to fire off four shots, the shells being quickly discarded by a mechanical slot located at the middle of the handle, before the insurgent quickly backed off and allowed Jackson room to breathe. He quickly picked himself back up and looked at the insurgent, who was clutching his stomach. Jackson began to smile, until the man pulled his hand away from his stomach, and his smile quickly faded. The four bullets that Jackson that Jackson had fired were embedded in the vest, but didn't penetrate the skin. The vest was bulletproof, and the shots did nothing but piss off the giant.

Jackson switched Khvostov back to its gun form, and placed it on his back, replacing it with Titán, as he felt much more comfortable with his magnum. Switching to its Bowie counterpart, he gestured at the insurgent, urging him to come forth and take his lumps like a man. Letting out a low growl, the insurgent ran forwards towards Jackson. Once again, the insurgent swung his chainsaw in a wide arc, and Jackson parried the attack and quickly countered with a slash at his dominant arm. He was successful in cutting his arm, as it began to draw blood, and caused him to lose his grip on his weapon. He barked out in pain as he grabbed his forearm with his left hand. Just as he looked back at Jackson, he saw a blur and a flash of white as it collided with his face.

His head snapped back as he fell backwards, small chips from the mask flying about around him. A large thud could be heard as he fell down, and the ground shook a fair amount once he collided with the ground in a daze. Before he could pick himself back up, Jackson pounced on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Without restraint, Jackson began to wail on him in quick succession. Blow after blow, the insurgent's mask slowly chipped away around the edges, as cracks began to appear around the mask. He was able to defend himself against Jackson's attacks somewhat, but with rage coursing through his veins, his powerful blows made it difficult for the insurgent to keep it up for very long. Eventually, his defenses were worn out, and Jackson continued to sock his face until he, as well, was worn out. Looking down at the insurgent, his mask was badly damaged, large chips around the edges broken off, and cracks making their way across the whole mask and branching out in random directions.

Breathing heavily, Jackson stood back up and holstered Titán, bringing out Khvostov once again. Transforming it to its axe counterpart, Jackson walked over to where his head was, his body perpendicular to the insurgent's. As soon as he placed the axe on his neck, Blake knew exactly what he planned on doing, and immediately left Weiss' side to head straight towards him.

Jackson had brought the axe upwards with both hands on it, currently hanging above his head, and just as he was about to bring it down, Blake grabbed his arms and held the axe in place, preventing any further advancement. Jackson looked at Blake, who gave him a very aggressive look.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Blake demanded.

"I'm wiping this bastard off the face of Remnant," Jackson replied without hesitation.

"You can't kill this man!" Blake exclaimed.

"And why is that?" Jackson asked.

"These are people, Jackson!" Blake said.

"These 'people' have been responsible for murder, terrorism, robbery, destruction of public and private property, I could go on."

"But this isn't the way to go about it," Blake argued. In the midst of their argument, they didn't notice the insurgent wake up from his brief unconsciousness, and reach for his chainsaw. For a walking mountain, the man was surprisingly able to keep the noise he made to a minimum.

"I can guarantee you, with one-hundred-percent certainty, that the insurgent would kill me without a second thought," Jackson said.

"They're misguided," Blake rebutted. "They wouldn't be like this if they had been treated properly, and they thought the peaceful organization it once was wasn't working."

"It WAS working!" Jackson exclaimed. "The sit-ins, the boycotts, peaceful protests, they were noble actions that was gaining positive attention, slowly but surely, but they weren't patient enough. Instead, they decided to change mindsets. Boycotts turned to vandalism of racist businesses, peaceful protests turned to terrorizing citizens, everything the organization stood for was twisted into a new, sick motive."

Blake began to get very upset, almost to the point where steam could be seen spewing out of her ears. "Maybe they're tired of being treated like second-class citizens! Maybe they're sick of the constant verbal abuse and physical attacks!"

"And they think that inflicting the same to them is gonna magically fix it?" Jackson demanded. "They think that now that humans know what it's like to be treated like trash, they'll see the error of their ways and try to make amends? Blake, never in the history of Remnant has that _ever_ worked out. If you hit them hard, they'll hit you harder back, and then you'll hit even harder back, until war breaks out and serious damage is done.

"Ever since the White Fang turned violent, things have been no better off for the faunus. Hell, they might be even worse now! Sure, more people are starting to respect the faunus, but for all the wrong reasons. And the stubborn meatheads like Cardin and his goons, that aggression towards humans have only fueled the hate-filled fire they have inside. The White Fang have gone from the goal of peaceful co-habitation, to the extinction of the human race. There are faunus that are in good relations with humans, something the old organization would've been ecstatic to witness. But now, they've been branded as traitors to their race, and will be executed without a second thought. _You've_ been branded as a traitor Blake, from your own race, for something they fought so hard to achieve five years ago."

Blake tried to come up with a response, but everything Jackson said was true. But no, she couldn't give in, she still had hope, however faint it may be. "Maybe so," Blake said. "But I still genuinely believe we can change them for the better. We just need to give them a chance to open their eyes."

"…I'm done giving them chances Blake," Jackson said. "I respected and admired them for what they did for their cause back then. I had hope that they could still change for the better after the violent change in power, my parents did too. Now, they're gone, done in by the same people they were rooting for. As long as they wear those masks, they'll never see the damage they've done." Pulling out Titán, he aimed it for where the insurgent lied,

Only to find where he once was an empty space.

Jackson's eyes widened as his mind went into overdrive, trying to find where he went, until he saw a new shadow appear to his right. Looking that way, he found the insurgent, standing right behind Blake, with his chainsaw raised and ready to let loose. Blake wasn't aware of the imminent danger behind her, she only gave Jackson a confused/angry/disappointed look, oblivious of what was behind her. By the time she realized there was something behind her, Jackson was already in motion, as well as the chainsaw.

"BLAKE WATCH OUT!" Jackson screamed. He was able to grab a hold of her, and completely turn her around, away from the insurgent, Jackson's back facing him instead. The chainsaw came down in a diagonal slash across his upper back. Once it came into contact with him, the teeth dug into his back, chewing its way through his ceramic plating to the skin below as it made its way across. The pain he felt was terrible, he clenched his teeth very hard and let out a restrained scream as it slid its way through his teeth. His grip loosened on Blake as he fell forward on his hands and knees.

"JACKSON!" Blake shrieked. She turned her attention towards the insurgent, with fury in her eyes. Switching Gambol Shroud into a grapple of sorts, she threw it towards the man, and managed to hook the handle of the weapon. With more force than she expected, Blake yanked on the cord and ripped the weapon from the insurgent's grasp as it flew across the boxcar clattered to the ground in a corner, very far out of arm's reach. He stumbled forward as he attempted to keep a hold on his weapon, but was ultimately feeble, and was kicked back by Blake, now being forced to resort back to his own two hands, and was visibly upset. Clenching his fists, he took one step forward, but one step was all he could take before his right kneecap was blown out.

The insurgent screamed in agony as he fell down to his one uninjured knee, clutching the right one in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Looking behind her, Blake found Jackson holding Titán in his right hand, a small plume of smoke emanating from the barrel. Jackson placed his hand back down, and picked himself back up with a great amount of effort needed. After standing up, he walked over to where the insurgent currently kneeled as he brought his head up to stare Jackson straight in the eyes. He couldn't see them, but he could feel him glaring daggers at him.

Pulling out Titán, Jackson began to bring it up to the insurgent's head, before he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. Turning his head, Blake stood behind him, with a pleading look in her eyes. Jackson held the stare for what seemed like an eternity, not moving a muscle. Finally, after a tense silence, Jackson turned back to the insurgent with a nasty look. Tossing Titán in the air, he caught it by the barrel, and proceeded to swing towards his temple, colliding with his skull with a large amount of force. The insurgent toppled over sideways and lied on the floor unconscious. After he fell over, Jackson reared his left leg back and kicked the insurgent in the face.

You know, just to be sure.

Blake flinched at the double-tap Jackson performed, and she was unhappy about it, but at least he was alive, so she'll have to settle with what she can get from him. It'll be difficult to change Jackson's feelings about the White Fang, but this is a good start. Jackson looked down at him for a few seconds, before diverting his attention elsewhere, towards Weiss. As he began to walk towards Weiss, the door behind him opened up once again, and Jackson immediately whipped out Titán and aimed it at the doorway at the sound of the hiss, as well as Blake. Thankfully, they put away their weapons once they realized it was Yang who stepped into the boxcar. Holstering Titán once more, he turned back to Weiss, who currently lied on the floor, still unconscious. Yang dismissed the sudden aggression, and placed a hand on her head, while slightly shaking her head.

Blake noticed this and began to slightly worry. "Yang, are you alright?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Yang replied. "It's just, I thought I saw something…"

"What?"

"Well, I was fighting ice-cream girl back there," Yang started, "but she got the better of me and knocked me out for a quick second. When I came to, I could've sworn I saw someone walk into a portal, but when I blinked it disappeared, like it was never there. Plus, the girl was gone. I thought she left me behind and went for you guys."

"No, she come anywhere near us," Blake said. "Only Torchwick and the lieutenant." She pointed to the unconscious giant for Yang to see.

"Sheesh, he doesn't look too good," Yang remarked.

"Yeah well, he's alive to say the least," Blake said. "If it wasn't for me, his head would be rolling around the train floor right now."

"Wait, what?!" Yang exclaimed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Jackson being half a second away from decapitating him!" Blake answered. "It was like second nature to him! If I wasn't there to stop him, he'd be dead."

Yang took some time to think this over. "Just give him time, Blake. Hopefully we can change his perspective on the White Fang."

"I hope," Blake said. ' _For my sake.'_

Now finished with their little conversation, Blake and Yang turned to where Jackson was headed, and found him kneeling over Weiss, with Roman still knocked out not too far away. He pulled off his gloves, and then hooked his left hand across her and under her back, gently pulling her up until he was sitting upright. With his right hand, he brushed aside some of her bangs that covered her face, and looked at her. She looked…peaceful, as funny as it may seem at a time like this. Jackson gave a small smile as he continued to stare at her.

"I've got you Weiss," Jackson spoke softly. "Let me fix you right up."

Jackson's hands began to glow red, and soon Weiss was outlined with red as well. Almost immediately, all her injuries began to fade away. Her cuts were quickly sealed up, the bruises on her faded away, and it seemed like there was more color in her skin than usual, more lively than usual, though that might've been the contrast between the red hue and her very pale skin. Soon, the hue slowly faded away,and Jackson let out a shaky breath from using his semblance, especially in the terrible shape he was in.

Before long, Weiss began to stir in his arms, and her eyes began to flutter open. She set her eyes on Jackson, who was currently giving her a warm smile. "Jackson?" She asked.

Jackson gave a happy chuckle. "There's my little snowflake."

"Wh-What happened?" She placed a hand on her head as she tried to remember what transpired moments ago.

"Well, from my perspective," Jackson started, "You were flung in here, unconscious, by the same person you were fighting earlier before. But don't worry about him." Jackson tilted his head to the direction of the unconscious lieutenant for Weiss to see.

Releasing Weiss from his grasp, Jackson stood up, and extended a hand for Weiss, which she gratefully took. He decided to fill her in on what's happening. "While you were out, I attempted to stop the train using the controls up front, but the brakes have been cut, and we've got now way of stopping this train from heading towards Vale."

"What?!" Weiss exclaimed. "What are we gonna do then?"

"I don't know, Weiss," Jackson replied. "We need to tell Oobleck about this, maybe he has an idea of what can be done." Weiss nodded as he spoke. Blake proceeded to fill in Yang as well about their current situation.

Once everyone knew what was happening, Jackson picked up Myrtenaster that was on the ground, and handed it to Weiss. After grabbing her weapon, Jackson took Khvostov off his back and turned towards the door to exit the boxcar and climb atop. But as soon as he turned, he heard a loud gasp come from Weiss behind him, and suddenly, felt a pair of dainty hands on his back.

"Jackson," Weiss said. "You're hurt, badly." She took notice of the ceramic plating that was cut in two, and the horrible gash on his back. The bleeding has slowed down greatly, mainly due to his half-semblance, but he was still in bad shape.

"Weiss, I'm fine," Jackson assured, as he turned to face her. "Besides, we've got bigger things to take care of at the moment, my well-being can wait."

"Like hell it can!" Weiss said. "Jackson, you're too injured to properly fi-" Weiss stopped in her tracks as she began to look over Jackson, and see what exactly happened to him.

Not only was there a large cut on his back, but there was another cut through his shirt at the midsection, and the ceramic plate on his chest was shattered, she could make out the separate shards within the woven space, with a hole on the shoulder portion of his shirt. At this point, his shirt were basically rags, what with all the tears and holes in them, big or small.

"Jackson, what on Remnant happened to you?!" Weiss demanded. "You look like you've gone through Hell and back!"

Jackson then realized just how terrible he may have looked to her. "I uh, got ambushed by Grimm during my watch." He glanced over at Yang. "I heard some rubble move, a bit too close for comfort, and I went to check it out. When I turned a corner, I came face-to-face with a beowolf, along with four of his friends. I got nicked a few times, but I was able to handle them."

"Jackson," Weiss stated. "Just stay here and keep an eye on Torchwick, rest up. You've done enough for today."

"Weiss, you know I can't just stand around and do nothing," Jackson said, as he pulled back on the loading mechanism on Khvostov. "I can still shoot a gun, which means I can still fight. Plus, I gotta be around in case one of you guys get hurt."

"Right now, the only person hurt here is you," Weiss said, pointing a finger at him. "Please Jackson, just rest. Let us handle this."

Yang called out from halfway across the train in a teasing manner. "Come on, just kiss already!"

Blake had to stifle a giggle, while Weiss blushed furiously. "YANG, NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOUR PETTY-"

Weiss didn't get to finish her scolding, because before she knew it, Jackson had turned her head back towards him, and pressed his lips against hers, shocking her at first, but she soon melted into the kiss, her eyes closing as she kissed back.

Yang and Blake gaped at Jackson's action, as they didn't expect him to go through with it, and it shut them right up.

For Weiss and Jackson, the kiss lasted for what felt like an eternity, before they finally broke it off, and Jackson just stared at Weiss as he gave a sincere smile.

"I've been waiting three years to do that," Jackson said.

Weiss was at a loss for words. She didn't know what to say, what to do, how to react. Jackson nudged her in the shoulder, snapping her out of her state, and came back to Remnant to see Jackson with Khvostov locked and loaded.

"Come on Weiss," Jackson said. "We've got a city to save." And with that, Jackson exited the boxcar, Blake and Yang following suit. Weiss lagged behind, as she was still wrapping her head around what just happened. As she exited the boxcar, she was surprised to find Jackson standing on the opposite side of the door waiting for her with a smirk on his face.

"Did you really think I was gonna leave you behind after that?" Jackson asked. He gestured, as if he were interacting with royalty, to the metal rungs leading to the roof, being the ever-so chivalrous person he was. "After you, m'lady."

Weiss could only smile at his silly display. This was the same Jackson she met all those years ago, the same one who kissed her without warning. She'd be lying if she said the thought of them together hadn't occurred to her at least once during their seven years of knowing each other. But she would quickly dismiss it, mainly due to the fear of if she did ask, and he said no, it could cause some sort of awkward tension between them, and she wasn't willing to lose such a close friend over wanting something more than what she already had. Aside from family, Jackson was one out of a handful of people who liked her for who she was, and not her title, and the only one out of the group her own age. And that, to her, was something far more valuable than any amount of Dust of Lien could muster. However, she had built up the courage to express her true feelings for him on his 14th birthday, but she never got the chance to do so, and she feared that she never will after what happened. But here they were, three years later, with Jackson having made the first move.

Weiss grabbed onto one of the rungs, and began to climb, Jackson close behind. Soon, they both had reached the roof, and they found Ruby and Oobleck already conversing with Blake and Yang, Zwei running around amongst them. They all took notice of Jackson and Weiss' presence, and waved the both of them over. They went over to where they currently stood at a brisk pace.

"Did you fill them in on what the situation is?" Jackson asked.

"Indeed they have, Mister Wesson," Oobleck responded. "The brakes of the train have been cut, and we have no way of stopping the train by controls."

"So, what do we do?" Jackson questioned.

"Well, we have approximately fifteen seconds until impact, so I suggest you hold onto something anD BRACE YOURSELF!" Quickly pointing to the front of the train, RWBY and Jackson found themselves looking at a wall rapidly approaching them, causing them to break out into a small panic, except for Ruby and Weiss. They both exchanged a look, as well as a smile, before calling out to the rest of the group.

"Everyone huddle up!" Ruby called out. They didn't have to be told twice. As they grouped up, Weiss closed her eyes and began to focus. Soon, a large glyph appeared beneath their feet, with Weiss stabbing Myrtenaster into the roof. Almost immediately, large spikes of ice began to form around and above them, and before long, they were all put in an ice shield of sorts. It was crude, but it was far better than nothing. By the time the ice shield was up, they were mere seconds away from a full-on collision with the wall in front of them. There was just enough room inside the ice dome for everyone to move around if needed, and Jackson took this space to re-position himself. He managed to place himself between the front of the dome and Weiss, and as soon as he did, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, using himself as a meat shield to further protect Weiss from the crash.

"Jackson, what are you doing?!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Protecting you!" Jackson quickly replied, gripping her tighter. "EVERYONE BRACE FOR IMPACT!"

Not two seconds later did the train hit the wall with full-force, and fling the group towards the front of the dome. After that, there came a thunderous crash and a flash of white, before everything went dark.

…

 _Beacon Academy_

 _6:03 am_

Cinder and her two lackeys were looking out the the Vale skyline from the air docks for the Bullheads, but their main focus was the large plume of smoke rising from somewhere within the city. They knew what the plume of smoke indicated, and Cinder was twitching in one eye, but didn't say a single word.

"You don't think…" Emerald asked.

"Sure looks like it,," Mercury replied.

"That's still days away!" Amidst their speculation, the group didn't notice a team of Huntsmen-in-training board one of the idle Bullheads and take it straight towards the pillar of smoke.

"So," Mercury said, "What do we do?"

Cinder finally spoke up. "Why don't we pay a visit to Vale Square? I hear it's a lovely place for a stroll this time of year." As soon as she finished speaking, she turned on her heels and walked towards the nearest Bullhead, Emerald and Mercury giving each other a look before ultimately following her.

…

 _Vale Square_

 _6:05 am_

Darkness.

That's all Jackson could see, though he was positive he had his eyes open…at least, he thought he did. Looking around, he did indeed have his eyes open, because he saw small pillars of light out of his peripherals. When he tried to move, there was something above him that prevented him from getting up. Eventually, he found out that he was under a layer of rubble, as he heard the movement of broken cement blocks and the grazing of them against each other. Almost immediately after, he realized he was clutching onto Weiss when they impacted, and checked to see if she was still in his grasp. He let out a sigh of relief to find Weiss still in his arms, but unconscious. Letting go of her for the time being, he placed his hands on the ground under him, and pushed himself upwards. Using what strength he could muster, Jackson was able to free himself and Weiss of their cement trap. Looking around, he found the remainder of team RWBY scattered about, unconscious as well. Looking back down at where he lied moments ago, he found Weiss laying in there. Jackson bent over and picked her up in his arms, and brought her over to where a large piece of concrete stood upright and intact. Gently setting her down, he propped her upright by setting her against the slab, and cupped her left cheek in his right hand. Out of nowhere, he began to hear growls come from all around him, and the color drained from his face.

' _Oh no…'_

Popping from the rubble and the gaping hole made from the train, Grimm of all sorts began to rise. Beowolves, Ursa, Creeps, Deathstalkers, even a King Taijitu. Citizens were running in all directions as they were chased by the different Grimm, praying to God they didn't get caught or overrun. One person in particular caught his attention.

A man was running from a Beowolf who was nipping at his heels. As he ran for his life, he tripped on a piece of rubble that flew far from the point of impact, and caused him to roll before coming to a stop. Before he could pick himself up, the Beowolf already loomed over him, ready to end his life.

The Beowolf brought up its claw, ready to bring it down on the cowering man before it. But it never got the chance as it's head was blown off by a controlled burst of fire, falling over and disappearing in a cloud of darkness. Tracing it back to where the bullets were fired, the man found himself staring at Jackson, clutching Khvostov in his arms with smoke emanating from the barrel.

"Get out of here!" Jackson exclaimed. "Find a safe place to ride this out!"

The man quickly nodded and thanked Jackson for saving him before running into a building and locking the door behind him. As Jackson watched the man run into the building, he didn't notice the Grimm put all their attention on him until moments later. The civilians were able to get away safely, because the Grimm now focused on the one immediate threat in the vicinity: Jackson. With a large horde beginning to form, Jackson now became uncertain of his own capabilities, and that's when the weight of everything that has happened was thrown onto his shoulders.

Jackson was beaten like a punching bag and thrown like a rag doll when he went up against Gage, though that's not to say Gage didn't receive the same treatment from him. And with the explosion of a Dust crystal five feet away from him and his battle with the large insurgent to go along with it, it was a miracle Jackson hadn't collapsed yet. The adrenaline was wearing off, and his body quickly turned to lead from the constant stress it was put under. To take on the whole horde of Grimm was suicide in his condition, but he'd be damned if he were gonna take this sitting down. Time seemed to have frozen, as Jackson and the Grimm stayed absolutely still, neither side making the first move. Growls could be heard among the group of Grimm as they waited in anticipation. Then, without warning, Jackson attacked.

Quickly bringing up Khvostov to bear, Jackson resorted to the cold and calculating portion of himself if he were to have any chance of making it out of this. In a controlled manner, Jackson fired Khvostov in quick bursts, hitting his target and putting them down in rapid succession. He was able to bring down seven Grimm before having to reload. It only took two seconds to pop in another magazine, but it doesn't take much time to go a long distance. By the time he was ready to fire again, the Grimm had practically cut the distance between them in half. He fired again in bursts, taking down eight Grimm this time, before hearing the gun click.

He wouldn't have time to reload, and he didn't feel confident going into this battle with an axe, so placing Khvostov on his back, he pulled out Titán and opened fire, aiming for the Ursa specifically. His aim was true, as each bullet was planted between their eyes and stopped them dead in their tracks before falling over dead. With five of the heavy-hitters down, he felt a bit safer going against them, but in this case, safe was only a relative term.

The first to get within striking range was a Beowolf who attempted to swipe at him, to which Jackson just simply ducked under the incoming claws and followed it up with an upwards slash that cut deep into the Grimm, and kicked it back, knocking over a few others with it. A Creep was the next one to get near, and it looked hideous. Its teeth were sharp and jagged, and it was heavily armored, except for its underside. Jackson could barely make out the eyes on it, as they were basically slits on the very thick bone-plate on its head. Also, instead of four legs, Creeps had only two hind legs, and used the large tail they had for balance, and sometimes attacks. Because of the lack of limbs, the Creep resorted to chomping down on their prey or charging them, using their skull as the battering ram, which is exactly what it did.

As it charged, Jackson attempted to shoot it down before it could reach him, but the bullets bounced off the front-facing bone plate, only angering it. The Creep soon collided with Jackson, and began to carry him across away from the rubble into the courtyard nearby. Switching Titán to Bowie form, Jackson began to stab at it in the soft spots on its back between the different armor plates. After sustaining enough damage, the Creep finally collapsed and began to dissipate as Jackson rolled a few feet across the floor. He let out a groan, and picked himself up, but after looking around him, he found himself in a very bad position.

The Creep had carried him a good distance away from the point of impact, and dropped him in the middle of the courtyard. When Jackson stood up, he found himself surrounded from all sides by Grimm. Slowly, they began to converge on his position, and Jackson had no hope of making his way out of this. Loading Khvostov and Titán, he was ready to take as many of these bastards down with him. An Ursa Major had pushed its way through the ring of Grimm, and let out a thundering roar as he stood on his hind legs. During his billowing display, Jackson had taken it upon himself to take it out before it had any chance of attack, but similar to the Creep, the burst of bullets simply bounced off the bone plating.

"Well, shit," Jackson muttered. The Ursa got on all fours and began to charge towards Jackson, who stood with Titán in hand, and uncertainty beginning to take root. As the Ursa continued to near, Jackson braced himself to go up against the walking mountain.

Just as it was right on top of him, three shots rang out, each one hitting the Ursa in the upper chest, stopping it in its tracks. The Ursa struggled to keep its balance after the sudden attack, but it never regained it as a flurry of rose petals appeared from seemingly nowhere, and cut the Ursa in a diagonal slash, falling in two and disappearing in a puff of smoke. The flurry of petals had taken form, and it was none other than Ruby.

"Need a hand?" She asked, a confident smile plastered on her face.

Jackson was relieved to see Ruby here by his side. "I'll have you know, I had the situation _completely_ under control," Jackson rebutted with mock offense. "But, it's nice to have some help from time to time." Jackson didn't notice a Beowolf come up behind him, and it was about to slice him in two, had it not been for the blonde brawler that peppered it with her shotgun gauntlets.

Yang used her gauntlets to propel herself over the ring of Grimm, and landed not too far from Ruby and Jackson, spotting the sneaking Beowolf and took it upon herself to take care of it.

"You weren't planning on hogging all the Grimm for yourself, were you Jackson?" Yang asked.

"By all means," Jackson said. "Help yourself Yang."

Soon enough, Blake and Weiss appeared alongside them as well, and they occupied the middle courtyard, facing the ring of Grimm. Both sides had reverted back to remaining in an idle position, each one waiting for the other to make the first move. The silence was broken when a King Taijitu had risen, and let out a roar, causing the Grimm to charge towards the group in the middle.

"Time to get the show on the road!" Yang exclaimed. She began to unload into the crowd of Grimm, the explosive shells flinging and eviscerating any Grimm it came into contact with or caught in the blast radius. Those that got close enough to her received a mean uppercut that sent them twenty five feet into the air before coming back down and splattering another Grimm in the crowd. Each attack was done in rapid succession, and was always capable of taking out two or three at a time.

Ruby had Crescent Rose in scythe form, its sniper counterpart wouldn't be effective at this close of a range. Using her semblance to her advantage, she dashed out into the middle of a small group, and twirled her scythe around in a deadly manner. Grimm were cut in two, or sometimes writhed on the floor in pain from extremely deep cuts. She was soon surrounded by a pack of Beowolves, though she didn't seem very concerned. Instead, she planted Crescent Rose into the ground and held on tightly to the handle. Using her speed to gain momentum, she began to spin around with Crescent Rose serving as an anchor to keep her from flying off. It acted like a very crude merry-go-round, and as Ruby spun, she planted her feet against each Beowolf she passed, kicking them back with a great amount of force and causing them to fall backwards. Once the circle of Grimm was cleared, she pulled Crescent Rose out of the ground and quickly dashed out of there, deciding to keep her distance for the time being.

Blake seemed to have an easier time handling the Grimm compared to Ruby, and possibly more than Yang. Gambol Shroud, alongside Ember Celica, was made for close-quarters scenarios just like this. Using her katana, she sliced at beowolves and proceeded to stab one from underneath their head, quickly yanking it out from the limp corpse. With the push of a button, Gambol Shroud transformed into her pistol in a split-second, and in a sweeping motion, Blake shot down multiple Grimm that were making their way towards her with deadly precision.

Weiss was holding her own as well. As the Grimm came at her, each one was cut down to size or ran through by her rapier. Once she was given enough time, Weiss summoned a glyph beneath her, and in a wide arc, slashed at a multitude of Grimm, who were caught in the ice arc that materialized as her rapier passed by and cut into the Grimm.

Jackson managed to hold his own against the Grimm alongside the rest of them. With Axe Khvostov in arms, he was cleaving into whatever got near him. A Beowolf had gotten close enough to swipe at him, but Jackson ducked under the attack, and stuck out Khvostov, managing to hook it behind one of the Grimm's hind legs, and yank it out from below it. The Beowolf hung in the air just long enough for Jackson to bring back his axe, bring it up, and bring it smashing down on the center of its chest, cleaving into it. As he wrenched Khvostov out of the vaporizing corpse with his left arm, he brought out Titán with his right and shot any Grimm that came too close for his comfort. He freed Khvostov of its trap and quickly swung it into the neck of another Beowolf that was upon him, blood(?) gushing out of the gaping wound in its neck. Pulling it out once more, he turned around and was face-to-face with a charging Creep, raising up his axe in a defensive position by instinct. The Creep tackled him to the ground and bit onto the handle of the axe, beginning to wrestle with Jackson over control of the weapon. Jackson struggled to keep the damn beat away from him, but at last he was able to turn the fight in his favor by flipping the Creep over onto its back, with Jackson now having the upper-hand. Quickly pulling out Titán, he unloaded all five bullets into its exposed underside, the Creep beginning to gargle a sound before releasing its last breath and begin to dissipate. Wrenching the axe out of its mouth, he hopped down from the corpse and returned to fighting the Grimm.

Each member managed to fend off the Grimm for a while, but eventually, it slowly turned into an uphill battle, as there were simply too many Grimm for the five of them to take on by themselves. As Ruby cut down another Grimm, she stole a glance to her left, and suddenly put all her attention to what she saw. Fifteen feet away from her, the King Taijitu began to slither the rest of itself out of the breach, but it stopped moving as it, and Ruby, heard a loud _BOOM!_ go off in the distance. When Ruby turned towards the source of the disturbance, she saw a small dot fly across the sky, and as it got closer, it was made apparent that it was Nora Valkyrie on Magnhild, straight towards the King Taijitu. Nora collided with the snake Grimm, and swinging her war hammer down, sent a grenade straight into its head while propelling herself away from it. The Grimm was immediately put out of the fight as it fell down and slowly began to dissipate. Plopping down in the courtyard, Nora regrouped with the rest of her team, ready to join the fight.

Jackson took notice of their presence, and was relieved to have some extra help. "Thank God you guys are here," Jackson exclaimed, as he planted a bullet between the eyes of a Beowolf. "Feel free to hop in at any time!"

"Let's go team!" Pyrrha said, each individual member splitting up, inadvertently leaving Jaune behind. But there were bigger fish to fry at the moment.

Jackson resumed to fighting the Grimm he was with, and found himself going up against an Ursa Major. It bellowed out before running at Jackson. While Ursas, especially Ursa Majors, are known to be the hard hitters, they were clumsy and slow in their strikes, so it made it easier for Jackson to dodge and weave. In between strikes, Jackson made an attempt to chop down on the Ursa with Khvostov, and while he was successful in making contact, the axe was now stuck in its hide between two bone plates. The large Grimm didn't even register its presence as it continued its onslaught against Jackson. Still swiping at him and lunging at him with its jaws, Jackson carefully waited for his moment to strike. Jackson knew he'd have a lot of trouble to chip away at the armor from the outside, but maybe he'll have better luck attacking from the inside. With Titán in hand, he had his finger on the trigger with a small amount of pressure, keeping it at the ready for when the opportunity presents itself. When the Ursa attempted to take a chunk out of him, he struck. As soon as the Grimm opened its mouth to try and bite Jackson, he quickly brought up Titán and aimed it at the Ursa's open mouth, and fired. His idea proved to be effective, as the back of its head was blown outward and it collapsed forward in a heap.

He continued to kill Grimm, and as he did so, he noticed two new people that arrived out of his peripherals. One was a monkey faunus, who had short blonde hair and a golden tail. He wore regular blue jeans and sneakers with a white button-up shirt that wasn't buttoned up at all. As for his companion, he wore a dark red jacket with a large collar popped up over a white dress shirt and a tie, finger-less gloves, blue hair and a pair of goggles. However, instead of jumping into the fight, they just kind of…stood there, not really doing anything. What they _did_ do was pull something from out of their pockets, and after a close inspection, he found out they were displaying badges of some sort.

' _Really?'_ Jackson thought. ' _Now is_ not _the time to show off a pair of badges.'_ Because of his mental scolding at them, he didn't notice the Beowolf charge him and swipe at him until it was too late. By the time he snapped back to what was happening, the paw was already in motion, with Jackson raising up his hands in a feeble attempt to block it as he closed his eyes.

 _PING!_

Instead of being flung across the courtyard as he feared, he opened his eyes and found Jaune with his shield up, blocking the Beowolf's attack. Pushing back, Jaune managed to throw the Grimm's arm back, leaving it open for an attack, to which Jackson had brought up Titán and opened fire on its chest, knocking it back and ultimately killing it.

Jackson walked up to Jaune and place a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks Jaune," he said. "I owe you one for saving my ass."

"Heh, don't mention it," Jaune dismissed. "You would've done the same for me."

Jackson nodded at him and turned back towards the duo. He was about to call out to them and see why they were just standing there, but a large hum silenced him before he could even speak. Looking up, he was shocked to see what was in the air.

Hovering over the city skyline and into view, Jackson, along with everyone else, saw an enormous Atlesian fleet make their way to their current position, filling the sky with airships. Jackson managed to pry his eyes away from the sky just in time to see an Ursa creep up on Ruby, and was ready to tear her apart. But before he could even so much as get a word out, the sound of rapid gunfire was heard, as the Ursa was peppered with bullets. Looking back up at the sky, Jackson found one of the airships' turrets whirring, with smoke coming from the barrels, Ruby waving at the pilot of the airship. To add to the shock and awe, they all began to see dots coming from the separate airships and began to fall down to Remnant. They soon reached terminal velocity, and threw up a plume of dust as they impacted the ground. Standing up from their crouched position, they revealed themselves to be the brand-new Atlesian Knights General Ironwood has displayed to the audience. Jackson was aware of the new models of the Atlesian Knights, they caused quite a stir in the criminal underground. They were armed to the teeth, and began to unload onto all Grimm in the immediate vicinity, some even resorting to close-quarters combat with built-in swords.

Jackson couldn't be happier with this turn of events. "Hell yeah!" He screamed out loud. "The cavalry's here!" But the battle was far from over, they still had to clear out the Grimm, though now that they had the Knights, it would be a far easier task to accomplish.

After the Knights were deployed, a Bullhead swooped in above the courtyard and hovered close to the ground. The doors opened on each side of the Bullhead, and showed the cabin's occupants. Within the cabin, it was Professor Port, and what Team RWBY have come to know as Team CFVY: Coco Adel, Fox Alistair, Velvet Scarlatina, and Yatsuhashi Daichi. Jackson only knew Velvet, the other three from the team were a mystery to him. He's seen them around campus, sometimes separate, sometimes together, but he was still none the wiser as to what their names were or who they are. They all disembarked from the Bullhead, which quickly took off after their departure.

As soon as they arrived, they had begun to wreak havoc among the Grimm, well, except for Velvet, she resorted to hand-to-hand combat, for some reason. Almost immediately after landing, Yatsuhashi had unsheathed his bronze greatsword, and slammed it into the ground, clearing the entire middle of the courtyard, as well as destroying the courtyard itself to some capacity. Fox had a pair of orange blades, and he was damn effective at using them. Going up against an Ursa Major, he had handled the Grimm like it was no issue whatsoever, and to top it off, with an Aura-infused punch, he sent it flying into a crowd of Grimm. What was so phenomenal about it was that as soon as it stopped, the corpse began to quickly inflate, until it popped like a balloon, sending the jagged spikes on its back flying in all directions, impaling the surrounding Grimm and killing them.

Coco had walked up behind him and spanked him on the ass. "Nice hustle, Fox," Coco remarked. With a sway in her hips, and sass absolutely dripping from her person, Coco walked up to a Beowolf that was three times her size. As it let out a roar, she didn't even so much as flinch, and it sent a swipe at her. Using the small designer handbag she held in her hand, she smacked away the Grimm's paw and smashed it into the its shin, causing it to fall down on its face. As it brought up its head to stare at Coco, she brought up her handbag and sent it slamming into its head, **hard**. The result was that the Beowolf's skull was embedded deep into the ground, killing it instantly. She proceeded to do the same thing to the next few Grimm who were unlucky enough to go up against her, before a Deathstalker had taken center stage to challenge her. It was in for a surprise.

Pressing a button located somewhere on her handbag, Coco's weapon went from an additional item to a fashion ensemble to a gatling gun, capable of leveling a whole forest if she wanted to do so. As it began to whir, she let out a smirk as she finally let all Hell break loose. As soon as her gatling gun fired, the Deathstalker was absolutely shredded, torn to bits and killed before it even knew what happened. She didn't let off on the trigger as she continued to grind every Grimm placed in front of her, not just the Deathstalker. Soon enough, her weapon overheated, and whirred down to a halt, nothing but destruction left in its wake.

Jackson was simply awestruck at the power behind the handbag. He didn't get to gawk for long though, because from the rubble, a large mech hand burst through, and pulled itself out of the wreck. Jackson was ready to riddle whoever came out the mech with bullets, but as soon as he saw Zwei pop his head above the mech, Jackson immediately lowered his weapon. Zwei jumped down from the head, on a collision course with a Beowolf, but the dog didn't seem the least bit concerned. When he was close enough, Zwei delivered a crippling headbutt to the Grimm. Exiting from the pilot seat came Doctor Oobleck, no worse for wear it seems. As he hopped down, he took a sip from his thermos as Professor Port walked to his side, and gave him a quick salute before facing the issue at hand. Raising his Blunderbuss/Battle Axe, along with Oobleck extending his thermos to it's full form, Port opened fire on the charging Grimm while Oobleck, quite literally, opened fire on the Grimm. Ursai, Beowolves, and Creeps were burned to a crisp as the balls of fire flew into the crowd.

So many things were happening at once, Jackson could barely process it all at once, and even amongst the chaos that ensued, he still managed to see Miss Goodwitch appear from the nearby streets, and she looked upset. Then again, she always looks upset with something. With the flick of her riding crop, any Grimm that came near her were flung away, crashing into nearby buildings or impaled with glowing purple projectiles that materialized from her crop. She walked up to the wreckage where the train popped out of the ground, and pointed her riding crop at it, intending to reverse the damage done.

"Wait!" Jackson called out to her. He got her attention, but by the way she looked at him, it wouldn't last for long. He quickly ran over to the wreckage, and straight to the nearest entrance to the train. "Just wait a moment." Before she could even reply, Jackson entered the train, knowing she wouldn't entomb her.

At least, he hoped.

…

Entering the train, Jackson saw that all the lights were broken, shattered upon impact. Sparks flew all over the inside of the boxcars, still having some juice in them. Every window was blown out, and some rubble had made its way in. As Jackson looked around, everything was thrown all over the place, making it a bit more difficult to find what he was looking for. Eventually, he found him.

Roman was buried under some boxes that flew out of place when they crashed, flung into a far corner of the boxcar. After pushing cargo out of the way, he was still unconscious, sleeping like a baby. He found his cane not too far away from his person, and after throwing Torchwick over his shoulder, he decided to pick up his cane as well. As he began to exit the boxcar, Jackson noticed one crucial piece that he didn't notice upon entry: the lieutenant was nowhere to be seen, even his chainsaw disappeared. But now wasn't the time to be wondering where he went, he's long gone by now. Right now, what mattered was getting Roman behind bars.

' _oR i coUlD SnaP hIs neCk AnD saY hE dIed iN The cRasH…'_

Jackson shook his head violently, getting the thought out of his head as soon as it appeared. No, as much as he would prefer being done with him for good, it would be too easy for Roman. Death isn't a just punishment for a man like him, he's done too many bad things for death to make up for it. Plus, what Blake said earlier kind of stuck with him, if only a little. Jackson made his decision and exited the train with Torchwick in tow.

…

Glynda was growing impatient with Jackson and what he was doing inside the train. She was about ready to trap him underground to prevent any further Grimm from entering, but then he finally reappeared from the wreckage with something, or rather, _someone_ , slung over his shoulder. As soon as he cleared the wreckage, Glynda immediately went to work, and used her semblance to repair the damage done. Through an invisible force, large chunks of the road thrown outwards were pulled back to the point of impact, and began to hover above the gaping hole. The moment she flicked her riding crop downwards, every broken piece of debris plopped down in the exact spot from where it used to be, and all of them fitting together like puzzle pieces and sealing the hole, the train being pushed back into the sealed-off tunnel. The cracks between each piece shrunk as they mended together once more, repairing the damage done. In mere seconds, every bit of damage was undone with no trace of it to be found, as if it never happened to begin with.

With that taken care of, Glynda turned her attention to Jackson, who proceeded to toss Roman onto the ground for her to see. It seemed to be he regained consciousness, because he let out a pained groan once he collided with the ground. Opening his eyes, Roman saw Jackson looming over him with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. He growled and began to get up, but when a riding crop appeared in front of him, as well as Glynda, he slowly raised his hands in surrender, knowing which fights to pick. This one he knew he had no chance of winning, especially in such a vulnerable position.

"Thank you Mister Wesson," Glynda said. "I can handle it from here. Go regroup with your team." Jackson nodded and looked over to the courtyard.

Bullheads and Atlesian Airships began to land among the clearing, the airships picking up a majority of the Atlesian Knights and taking them back for recalibration and any repairs if needed, the rest keeping guard around the square and putting this whole area under lockdown. Port and Oobleck chatted amongst themselves, while the other teams did the same. Team RWBY conversed with JNPR, recalling the events and attacks they did mere moments ago, with Yang relaxing under a tree away from the crowd. Meanwhile, Team CFVY stood smiling in silence, looking over the courtyard, proud that they managed to help in detaining the breach before it could get any worse, as each member of CFVY did their own gesture of gratitude towards each other. Nearby one of the airships, Roman could be seen being escorted into the cabin of the aircraft by two Knights, who didn't hesitate to 'encourage' him if needed.

Among all the conversations, and all the little things happening throughout the courtyard, the only thing that caught Jackson's attention was Weiss. Now that they had the time to talk without being forced to look around every five seconds, Jackson decided he might as well tell her now about his feelings, and what happened in the train. Taking in a deep breath, he began to walk towards her. As he made his way towards her, he heard someone call out to him.

"Hey Jackson!"

Turning to the sound of the voice, Jackson found out that the voice belonged to Yang, who had a backpack in hand, his string backpack, to be precise. She tossed it towards him, catching it with ease. Opening it up, he found his sketchbook, as well as his hoodie, inside the bag. But at the moment, the sketchbook is what was more important.

"Go get her, tiger," Yang said, giving him a quick wink. Jackson gave her a two-finger salute and a smile as he returned to walking towards Weiss. She was still oblivious to Jackson's coming, as she was still conversing with the other girls, mainly Blake and Pyrrha. Jackson had butterflies in his stomach as the moment inched ever so closer, but now wasn't the time to get all clammy. Steeling himself and digesting said butterflies, he prepared himself for what he wanted to say.

But the universe has a twisted sense of humor.

Just as he began to near her, a voice called out from behind him.

"Weiss!" The owner of that voice made its way past him, and went straight for Weiss. Once they passed him, Jackson found out that the voice belonged to the blue-haired fellow he saw alongside the monkey faunus, or who RWBY and JNPR came to know as Neptune Vasilias, and the monkey faunus known as Sun Wukong. Running up to Weiss, Neptune stopped right in front of her, before wrapping his arms around her.

"Thank God!" Neptune exclaimed. He let go of her from his hug, but still kept a grip on her shoulders. "Are you hurt? Do you feel alright?"

Weiss was surprised, to say the least, at Neptune's sudden appearance. "Don't worry Neptune," Weiss said, giving him a smile for reassurance. "I'm completely fine, and it's thanks to-" Her eyes widened immensely as she came to a sudden realization. As her eyes darted from side-to-side, until they finally landed on what they were looking for, and she took a stricken look.

"Jackson…" She whispered.

Jackson just stood there, watching as he felt his heart get ripped in two. It seems Weiss was already taken, based on the sincerity and worry for her well-being Neptune displayed. What's worse was that Jackson _kissed_ Weiss, a woman who was already in a relationship with another man. Not only was his crush taken, he now felt like a home-wrecker for his sudden affection. He lost his grip on his string backpack, and it plopped down on the ground next to him, but he made no move to pick it up. Instead, he took a step back, then another, then another, before turning on his heels and making a dash to the nearest Bullhead.

Yang seemed just as distressed as Weiss. She could definitely see the both of them together, and saw the connection they had, but she had completely forgotten about Weiss' connection with Neptune, and just how uninformed Jackson was. It was true, Neptune and Weiss shared an interest in each other, but they never made their relationship official. And Neptune…well, he could never seem to be restrained to one woman. He was always flirting with various girls across campus and the other academies, and at times it would work, just like it did with Weiss, and other times he would be rejected, but it did nothing to discourage him. She would know, Yang fell victim to his constant flirting. She grabbed the sides of her head as she looked at Jackson make a run for it to the nearest Bullhead.

"No, no no no no no no!" Yang shouted. "Jackson, stop!"

Even Blake felt terrible for Jackson. She was a bit confused at first when Weiss looked stricken when she was interacting with Neptune, and it wasn't until she followed her line of vision and land on Jackson did she finally realize what was going on. She saw them kiss on the train, and she could only imagine what he must be feeling right now witnessing the somewhat-out of context scenario. She brought a hand up to her mouth as she realized what was happening, and let out a slow gasp. Ruby and JNPR were utterly confused to what was happening and what caused such drama, but they realized that now wasn't the time to ask. Weiss attempted to chase after Jackson and explain, but Neptune prevented him from doing so.

"Whoa," Neptune said, cutting off her path. "What's wrong?"

"Neptune, get out of the way!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Not until you tell me what's going on with you," Neptune replied. "You got this look of distress right after I asked you if you were okay, what happened?"

"Damnit Neptune, now isn't the time for your concern," Weiss angrily said. "Get out of the damn way!" Shoving him aside, Weiss sprinted after Jackson.

Jackson made his way to the closest Bullhead, and jumped in without hesitation. "Take me back to Beacon, now," Jackson said.

"You sure you don't wanna wait for your pals?" The pilot asked. "One of them looks to be making their way over here ri-"

"TAKE ME BACK TO BEACON, RIGHT-FUCKING- **NOW**!" Jackson bellowed in his baritone voice. He caused the pilot to jump, and this time obey his command, but with angered reluctance. The Bullhead began to rise from the floor, and was gaining altitude before it could take off.

Weiss got close to the Bullhead, but she wasn't able to reach it before it started to climb into the air. Before long, it was out of reach, and with the engines, quickly out of earshot. But she still tried anyway.

"JACKSON!" Weiss shrieked, hoping she could get his attention. But it was to no avail, as it continued to climb into the sky. During the Bullhead's climb, Jackson looked out to the courtyard that was now below him, and settled his eyes on his group of friends. Gazing over them, he eventually settled on one person in particular, which happened to be Neptune.

Suddenly, there seemed to be another passenger aboard the Bullhead. " _kIlL hiM,"_ Jackson's doppelganger said. " _uSe KhVosToV aND plAnT A buLleT BetWeEN hIs EyeS, i knOw yoU'rE cApaBlE oF mAkIng thE ShOt. tHey'Ll nEvER knOw whERe It CamE frOm."_

"Don't try and pollute my thoughts, you sick monster," Jackson hissed. "…Besides, I don't have a suppressor, if I were to shoot him, they'd hear the gunshot and trace it back to me anyways."

" _aH WeLl, It wAs woRtH A sHot,"_ D.J sighed. " _SO, hOw aBouT yoUr lIttlE sNowfLakE?"_

Jackson grabbed onto his doppelganger's clothes, and threw him out of the cabin just as the side doors began to close. D.J laughed hysterically as he fell, and turned into a puff of smoke, whisked away by the winds, before the side doors fully closed. Taking a seat, he placed his head in his hands, thinking things over.

Pulling up his head, he called out to the pilot. "Hey, sorry I snapped at you back there, it's just been a stressful day, and I've had enough of today's events. I just want to get back to Beacon and rest."

There was silence for a moment, before the pilot spoke. "Forget about it," he said. "With days like these, even the best of us get pretty cranky."

"Thank you," Jackson said. He couldn't see it, but the pilot nodded in response to his thanks. For the rest of the ride back to Beacon, Jackson simply sat in his seat, completely lost and heartbroken.

' _I need some time alone,'_ he thought to himself. The rest of the ride back to Beacon was spent in complete silence, in the real world _and_ in his mind.

…

AN: **And that's the chapter! Bet you didn't see that coming, did ya? A quick note, anytime Jackson's doppelganger makes an appearance in the story, I will refer to him as D.J, which stands for 'Doppelganger Jackson'. Also, holy shit, this is my biggest chapter to date! Eighteen THOUSAND words! I could've broken this off into two chapters, but I didn't want the part two to this end up being really short, like six or seven thousand. And by the time I realized I could break this off into two parts, I was almost done with this chapter anyways, so I said, eh, fuck it. Follow, Favorite, leave a review, have a happy Thanksgiving, and I'll see you all in the next chapter of Dead Man Walking! See ya!**


	15. Heartbreak Anew, and Neglect Nevermore

AN: **Hey guys, welcome back to Dead Man Walking! Shoutout to ArytomXIII, Degroth,Notorius3D, and Private Poptart (seriously, all these awesome names keep** _ **popping**_ **out of nowhere) for following/favoriting the story, let's begin!**

…

 _Vale Square_

 _Five Minutes After Breach Containment_

"JACKSON!" Weiss called out to him, as he rose in the Bullhead. Try as she might to get his attention, it was a fruitless venture as he continued to rise, until he gained enough altitude and took off to Beacon.

"Dammit!" Weiss exclaimed. She turned away from where the Bullhead sat idly moments ago and quickly ran back to the group she conversed with earlier, unbeknownst to her that she had passed Jackson's string backpack that contained his sketchbook. When she returned to the others, Team CFVY was nowhere to be found, as they took the Bullhead they arrived in back to Beacon, along with Port and Oobleck. She immediately turned to Jaune afterwards.

"Jaune," Weiss started. "Where's the Bullhead that your team arrived in?"

"You just saw it fly off into the sunse-er-sunrise," Jaune replied. "We've got no other way of getting back to Beacon until that Bullhead comes back to pick us up."

As soon as Jaune finished speaking, Neptune walked up to her, with a concerned/suspicious look on his face. "Okay Weiss, what's going on?" He asked. "Who was that? What was so important that you made a desperate effort to stop him before he could take off?"

"He was a friend, Neptune!" Weiss exclaimed. "I got injured on the train, and he used his semblance to fix me up. I was trying to explain some things to him, and I would've gotten that chance if _you_ hadn't cut me off from getting to him!"

Neptune raised his hands up in defense. "Wait a minute, it's _my_ fault?" He incredulously asked. "Weiss, I was trying to find out what was wrong with you. I've never seen you have that kind of look on you, and judging by your friends' reactions, neither had they, I felt like it was a topic of concern. I wasn't facing him, for all I know, he could've been threatening you!" Neptune continued to defend his innocence in the situation, meanwhile Yang stood up from her spot under the trees, and began to walk straight towards the rest of her friends, picking up Jackson's string backpack in the process. Weiss took notice of her presence as she began to near, and was able to catch the string backpack thrown at her from Yang.

"Weiss, what the hell happened?!" Yang demanded, sounding angry. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"What are you talking about?" Weiss asked. "I tried to get to him, but I was too late!"

"I've seen you propel yourself up _five stories_ using your glyphs on a whim!" Yang rebutted. "What stopped you from shooting yourself into the Bullhead cabin before it got closed off?"

"I was caught off-guard," Weiss responded. "How come you didn't speak up, huh? If you're so upset about this, why didn't you tell him back on the train, and save the trouble it's causing right now? I know you knew about my situation!"

"I'm in no position to tell him about it!" Yang shouted, her eyes beginning to turn red. "It was all on you to do something about it. You had two choices to make, you chose neither, and here we are!"

"You're in no position to tell me anything about this as well, but you seem awfully chatty this time around," Weiss sneered. Yang's hair came alight and she was ready to throw down. Ruby and Blake quickly went to Yang to calm her down, while Neptune tried to take control of the situation.

"Alright, you guys need to stop!" Neptune shouted, getting their attention. "Yang, she's right, I fail to see how you're involved in any of this, so please, allow us to talk." He then turned to Weiss. "And apparently, you're keeping something from me that very much concerns me. Something happened on that train, and you don't wanna talk about it. Weiss, what happened?"

Weiss tried to find a way out, but when she looked at Yang, she only gave her a glare in return and shook her head. She could see what Yang was implying: " _Just try to weasel your way out of this, I dare you."_

She sighed indignantly. "You want to know what happened?" She asked. "Fine, I'll tell you. While we were on the train, I had my ass handed to me on a silver platter by a White Fang member, and Jackson fixed me right up, even when he looked like he was about to collapse any second. Once I was patched up, I grew concerned for him after seeing the condition he was in, but before I could go any further, he kissed me. There, are you happy, Neptune?"

Neptune was caught off-guard himself after hearing what happened. Ruby and JNPR were shocked as well at what occurred on the train. Sun was more confused than shocked, as he didn't know Jackson.

"H-He kissed you?" Neptune asked. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"It was so abrupt," Weiss explained. "There wasn't some romantic build-up, no indication that he was going to kiss me, it happened in a split-second, before I could even react!"

"What about afterwards?" Neptune asked, beginning to sound desperate. "Did you not tell him about me? About us?"

Weiss stayed silent for a moment, before she finally responded. "No. No I didn't," she admitted. "I didn't tell him about us, because…well, I wasn't so sure about it myself."

"Not so sure?" Neptune said. "What do you mean by no-" He paused mid-sentence, as his eyes widened in some sudden realization. "No," he breathed. "Weiss, do you…have feelings for him?" Weiss didn't even so much as utter a word at his question and merely looked down to the ground, which spoke louder than anything she could have ever said.

"Oh my god, you _do,_ " Neptune stated. He ran his fingers through his hair as he let out a chuckle. "I can't believe this, you've fallen for someone else."

"I didn't fall for him, Neptune," Weiss said. "At least, not in the way you think."

"Is that so?" Neptune questioned, anger beginning to seep into his voice. "Please, elaborate on it, Weiss." Weiss felt bad enough telling this to Neptune now and not sooner, but after the shit she's been given by Yang and Neptune, she couldn't care less at this point.

"These feelings didn't just appear out of thin air," Weiss said. "This is something that I've had for a long time now, and it wasn't until now that I have the opportunity, and the courage, to convey my feelings to him."

"…How long, Weiss?" Neptune asked.

"Years," Weiss responded.

"Then why did you wait until now to jump on the opportunity to tell him, right when you and me were happening?!"

"Because for the last three, I thought he was DEAD!" Weiss shouted. That shut him up.

"From my very routine and isolated life as a child," Weiss started, "Jackson was one of the few things, and certainly the biggest, that allowed me to be me and do whatever I wanted without remorse, not some poster-girl for my company that sang in front of thousands for a profit! I could've been whoever I wanted in front of him, and not be criticized for 'lack of manners', or being 'un-ladylike'. I may have had everything at the palm of my hands, but with a dysfunctional family, and a tyrannical father like mine, I was _very_ limited to what I was allowed to do. Hell, it was a goddamn miracle that I was able to attend Beacon and not Atlas!"

Neptune remained silent for what seemed like years, before he finally spoke. "What does that mean for us?" He quietly asked.

Weiss had to restrain herself from screaming at him, not because of his desperation, but the anger that still coursed through her veins from her rant. " _We_ were never made official, Neptune," Weiss said in a calm, but definitive tone. "I won't lie, I did have an interest in you in the past few months, but with Jackson's reappearance from death, buried and discarded feelings resurfaced, and…" She didn't have to finish her sentence for Neptune to understand what she was getting at.

He didn't break out into a screaming rage, no aggressive outburst, instead his figure slumped heavily. His head fell down, as if he could no longer control the muscles in his neck. He straightened a bit shortly after, but didn't completely recover, just enough to not topple forwards when walking, and not look over-dramatic. "I see," he said in a somber tone. Turning on his heels, Neptune began to walk past RWBY and JNPR, towards Sun. But after taking a few steps, he stopped, and spoke once more. "I'll…see you around, Weiss…" Neptune walked off in silence, and when he reached Sun, he hooked him by the crook of his elbow, and walked off towards the direction of the Vale Police Department. Sun protested against it, but Neptune was having none of it and kept walking with him in tow, until he was out of sight.

As soon as Neptune was out of eyesight, Weiss allowed herself to breathe once more, not realizing she held her breath for the entire duration of his departure. Regardless of her less-than-flattering nickname among her teammates as Ice Queen, it was very difficult for her to try and settle this predicament. As she mentioned, she did indeed have an interest in Neptune, but at the time it was mainly aesthetically, with her only touching the tip of the iceberg on what laid below his appearance. Overtime, she may have developed feelings for him on a much deeper level, but she's already done that, for Jackson. Though in his case, it started out with his personality as a human being, and his silly behavior around the young heiress, with looks coming in as a bonus when he returned as a rugged, masculine, hardened handsome man…

A pair of snapping fingers inches from her face brought her back to reality, tracing the fingers back to their respective owner who turned out to be Ruby, concern visible in her eyes. "Hey Weiss, you alright?" She asked.

Weiss had gone from being visibly torn to a blank canvas faster than one could blink, as something inside her mind caused such a drastic change. "I'm fine Ruby," she replied. "I just need to speak with Yang."

After what had just occurred, Ruby was a bit hesitant to allow Weiss to go near Yang, but she soon relented and stepped back, giving her space to move freely. Weiss nodded her head towards Ruby as a sign of thanks, and walked at a brisk pace towards Yang, who at this point had calmed down enough from her near-burst to collect herself and take notice of the Ice Queen coming towards her. She wasn't exactly excited to see her come over at this particular moment in time, but she gave her the benefit of the doubt and allowed herself to listen to what she wished to say, which would come out to be pretty damn loud. As the saying goes, 'Actions speak louder than words.'

Weiss was about three feet away from her, when she came to a full stop. Yang and the others didn't think much of it at the time, which caused them to be all the more caught off guard when things took a sudden turn. Within the span of a second, Weiss had grabbed ahold of Myrtenaster, and plunged it into the concrete below her feet. A small trail of ice branched out from her weapon and quickly made its way straight towards Yang. As she continued to track the trail of ice, mystified by its hidden purpose, she followed it until a glyph, right underneath her own two feet, snapped Yang out of her trance as she realized far too late what its intentions were. Yang was only able to get one foot off the ground in an attempt to quickly move away, but it ultimately came out to be in vain. As soon as the growing trail of ice made contact with the glyph, it exploded outwards underneath Yang, engulfing her in a solid block of ice up to the base on her neck, rendering her immobile. And to make it more difficult, Weiss had dumped what remained of her Ice Dust into the glyph. The freezing capsule went from an oversized transparent ice cube, to what someone would find in the highest mountains of Atlas, a large chunk of ice gone extremely opaque, frost covering every inch of the surface at temperatures that would cause someone to shiver in mere seconds with top-of-the-line winter gear, and cause frostbite shortly after.

Blake, Ruby, and Team JNPR erupted in protest at Weiss' sudden change of pace, and began to demand her to release Yang, but their words fell on deaf ears, her mind clouded with unbridled rage. Because of Yang's semblance, her skin didn't turn blue on contact with the ice, but she still began to shiver at the extremely low temperature she was encased in a foot thick around her. Soon after she was trapped in ice, Weiss closed the gap between them, now mere inches from each other's face, albeit she still had to look up to stare at her in the eyes. Yang's eyes had turned red, and she began to radiate heat, but the ice kept snuffing out the heat before it could do any real damage, and while she was making progress, she couldn't melt it in time to knock the Ice Queen's teeth in.

"W-W-Weiss-s-s," Yang said, her teeth chattering from the frigid ice. "G-G-Get m-me out o-of here-e, or s-s-so help m-me, when I s-smash-h m-my w-way out of th-this-"

"Shut the _**fuck up.**_ " Weiss growled.

Yang's initial anger was immediately replaced with surprise and shock, with the rest of the group silencing just as quickly. Throughout their entire time at Beacon thus far, _not once_ have they ever witnessed Weiss utter such a crude and vulgar word to her teammates, or anyone as a matter of fact, not matter how deserving they were of it. They've heard 'dolt', 'imbecile', 'neanderthal', 'moron' 'buffoon', and so on. But such language from someone of her stature and background is unheard of. Even the smallest slip like this could permanently taint one's reputation within the higher class, because image was everything among the 1%.

"Now listen up, you short-tempered, overgrown ticking time bomb," Weiss spat. "Don't you _ever_ stick your nose in my goddamn personal life ever again. Or so help me, I'll stuff you in a tube and ship you back to Patch, just like how your dog got here, except I doubt you're as malleable as him. You wanna play counselor and tell people how to handle shit? Take that big nose of yours, and go stick it in Ruby's life, go pester family members instead." Weiss did a complete 180-degree turn, and stormed off, picking up Jackson's string backpack as she passed by it, and made her way towards the nearest set of trees with sufficient shade.

Everyone was speechless. Weiss was not known to go off on people to that degree, that was more within Yang's doing, and she rarely ever got back some serious lip. No one ever had the nerve to talk to her in that way and not fear for their lives afterwards, knowing that Yang would leave them begging for their lives and praying that she was feeling merciful. The only other person in recent time that came close to Weiss' meltdown, was Jackson actually, back at the gym all those months ago when they were still on poor terms with each other. Jackson was lucky he had initiation that day, otherwise he would have woken up a week later in an infirmary bed.

But still, even he couldn't compare to the volley of verbal abuse Weiss had thrown at her. And the fire in her eyes was the likes of which she's never seen before, only in herself. If Yang were to compare the emotion in her eyes to the emotion in her voice when she spoke, she would come to the conclusion that Weiss restrained herself greatly from doing something she might horribly regret afterwards. Even when blinded by emotions, she still kept the rational part of herself nearby, as if her calculative trait has become second-nature. Yang would be lying if she said Weiss hadn't caused the fire in her to dwindle, if only for a moment, her icy tone so cold it burned upon skin contact and permeated her soul, but she'd be damned if she was going to allow her to get away with this. She resumed to trying to get out of the block of ice, but she was given no wiggle room, and her heat wasn't melting it quick enough.

Though she didn't have to worry, the remainder of her team and JNPR snapped out of it once they heard Yang go back to wrenching her way out of the block of ice. As they tried to figure out how they could get her out of there, Nora stepped up to plate, quite literally, acting like a baseball player, beginning to practice her swing with Magnhild like she were up to bat. The others noticed though, and were able to deduce where exactly she was going with this.

"Okay, now hold on Nora!" Jaune quickly called out. Thankfully he got her attention before she followed through. "Are we sure there isn't another way we can get her out, more safely, perhaps?" A few nods from Ren and Pyrrha showed that they agreed with him.

Nora simply rolled her eyes in a dramatic manner, and let out of a groan of annoyance. "Come _on_ , Jaune," Nora said. "Yang's semblance revolves around getting hit! If anything, she'll come out of this feeling stronger than before!"

"As much as I hate to admit it, she's right," Blake relented. "It's not the safest option, but it's the quickest, and Yang has been able to brush off blows that have sent her through concrete pillars, no worse for wear."

"Well, I mean I wanted to consider all our options before we jumped to one immediately," Jaune sheepishly replied. "*sigh*, But when you put it like that…"

Nora's grin widened greatly, almost manic, before letting out a cheer. "Yay!" Nora exclaimed. "Don't worry firecracker, I'll get you out of there in a snap!" Squeezing in a few more practice swings, Nora finally began to follow through. Bringing it far back, with something flashing in her eyes, she let it fly. Just before it came into contact, Yang was starting to have second thoughts about all this, and while she would come out of this completely fine, she wasn't exactly looking forward to it.

Upon impact, the ice block didn't move a single inch, which surprised Nora and the rest of them. However, cracks had branched out in every dimension, big and small, covering the entire surface of the ice. The cracks had gone so deep, Yang could feel the cracks occur around her skin as a very small split shot through in different paths. Eventually, the one large block turned into multiple smaller blocks of ice, with nothing keeping it in place other than that fact they all fit like puzzle pieces. To test it out, Yang attempted to move her right arm, and the ice that surrounded simply fell apart at the slightest disturbance. As soon as she saw her frozen restraints crumble, Yang immediately thrashed around her whole body, the entire structure of ice toppling over and falling to her feet. As soon as she was freed from her icy prison, she immediately began to hug herself and rub her arms up and down in an attempt to warm herself up. After a few moments, with the use of her fiery bonus, the shivering soon stopped, and Yang returned to feeling normal.

When she was sure that she wasn't suffering some form of frostbite, she cracked her knuckles and began to make her way towards Weiss, and teach her a lesson. Yang had taken not three steps, before she felt a hand placed on her shoulder, and spinning her around, now facing Ren.

"Leave her be," Ren simply said. "Allow her to cool down."

Yang was thrown off. "And just let her get away with what she did to me?!" Yang demanded. "There's no way in hell I'm gonna let that happen!"

Ren's face didn't change in emotion, but his grip on Yang's shoulder tightened ever so slightly, and there was a small intensity in his stare. "She's hurting right now, Yang, if not for herself, necessarily. Through her perspective, things could have gone much better than what recently ensued, and she needs a way to release the anger. She may have encased you in ice, but she's still your friend, and you are still hers." With a slight turn to his left, he began to stare where Weiss currently laid. "Besides, life has a way of making things come full circle. She'll get what's hers soon enough.

"However, the downside to allowing it to happen on its own terms is that there's a chance we might be around when it happens," Ren said. Yang looked at him, then back at Weiss, residing under the trees. She _really_ wanted to return the favor, but ultimately, she let out an aggravated sigh and decided to let it go. After all, she's gonna be stuck with her for the next four years of her life, whether she likes it or not. Why bother to pay her back if it'll happen in its own time? While Yang and the others collected themselves and waited patiently for the Bullhead to return, Ruby frantically checking Yang to see if she was alright, Weiss remained under the shade of the tree, staring at the cover of the sketchbook in her hands.

The sketchbook seemed to have been worn, The cover of the sketchbook beginning to have the color flake off around the edges, and some wrinkles in the paper. Deciding to go through each page to see what they held, she found almost every one filled in with a scenic background. Drawings of the Emerald Forest flora and fauna of various types, Vale's city skyline, and Mountain Glenn being the newest addition to the array of backgrounds. Each drawing was incredible, they were filled with detail and each line was precise and sharp. And in each sketch, there was always a shaded figure, located somewhere in random spots throughout the images. In a sketch of the Emerald Forest from within the forest itself, he could be seen skulking within some shrubbery in a far corner of the page. In Vale, the same figure is seen simply walking on the sidewalk, caught in the cone of light emitting from a streetlight. The figure seemed to have some sort of significance, but he was just, there. Could that represent Jackson?

Before she could dwell on the thought any further, her heart lurched as she turned the page and saw what was on it, and more importantly, what was attached to it. Before she even saw what kind of drawings were on the paper, her eyes immediately shifted to the photo of her and Jackson as kids, displaying their masterpieces with wide grins and paint covering their bodies, thankfully none of it got in their hair. A pang of nostalgia and longing had coursed through her as she stared at the photo. What she would give to have things go back to how they were… Continuing to look at the photo, she was eventually able to tear her eyes away from the photograph and take a look at the drawings on the paper, and oh how she regretted it greatly.

Instead of the scenic pictures she saw before, she began to see drawings of _her_. They all varied in some way, shape, or form, different ages, emotion, attire, etc. There were only a few pages that held sketches of her, but the very fact that there were even drawings of her to begin with was something she never expected, and only tugged at her heartstrings even more. She found the three different images of her from different age groups, beginning from a young age to present day. Aside from being very well-done, one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the emotion in each of the three versions, and how it slowly drained from her as time went on. What started out as a bundle of joy and happiness, had turned into a cold, calculating woman with an intensity in her eyes; not one of passion, but one of an empty sort of determination, a look that spoke no words, nor showed any emotion. Just the will to do what it takes to rid of the obstacle in a quick and efficient manner. Was this how Jackson saw her? Had she really changed that much in the last three years, that the Weiss he had gotten to know was beginning to become nothing but a fading memory?

What's worse was that Weiss could begin to _see it_. In the last three years, there had been an emptiness, one that she knew where it had originated from, that she tried to replace, but to no avail. With her constant grieving, whether subtle or outright, had been a distraction to her, and around that time, she had become heiress to the SDC, and distractions was something her father would not tolerate. Mr. Schnee would not take anything less than perfect to represent the future of his company, and to him, emotions had proven to be a hindrance, clouding the mind and weakening the individual. What better way to achieve perfection than to be rid of emotion altogether? While Weiss hadn't become completely robotic, she had started to become indifferent in most things, while the remainder she treated as childish, something she wouldn't ever dare do herself, a result of three constant years of brainwash and molding her into Mr. Schnee's desired image. Weiss began to become distressed of Jackson's thought of her, and the person she was now, then she turned the page once more, revealing Jackson's Pièce De Résistance: Weiss' portrait.

Like the other sketches of her, the drawing style was sharp and precise, which greatly complimented Weiss' appearance, but the portrait displayed something else entirely. Instead of the cold and calculating tone that could be noticed in the other sketch of present-day her, it gave off the complete opposite. She was smiling a great big smile, and clasped one arm with the other, and there was a sparkle in her eyes that she didn't even see in herself. Even though the style was sharp and precise, Weiss' features in the portrait were soft, warm, and welcoming. She could feel a warmth emanating from the picture as she held it in her hands, now beginning to shake. As she continued to stare at the portrait, a few drops had fallen onto the sheet, wetting the paper and surprising her. Instinctively bringing a hand up to her face, she found herself tearing up greatly, with a few breaking free and hitting the paper, as she just witnessed. She quickly put away the sketchbook, so as to not tarnish it. However, while she put away the sketchbook back in the backpack, she held onto the photo clipped onto one of the pages, and held it in her dainty hands.

She regretted how things have gone and wishes to fix things between her and Jackson, and hopefully, she can start something she's always wanted to have, but never had the chance to start…

…

 _Beacon Academy Air Docks_

 _6:55 am_

Jackson was awoken when someone began shaking his shoulder gently. When he opened his eyes, he found himself looking at the pilot of the Bullhead, who was trying to wake him up.

"Hey buddy, wake up," he said. "We're here. I need you to get off so I can head back to Vale and pick up the others."

Jackson was surprised he fell asleep in the first place. He had spent the ride in silence, and at some point, he passed out in his seat. "Alright," Jackson replied somewhat groggily. "I'll be off in a moment, just give me some time to fully wake up."

The pilot nodded and returned to the cockpit of the airship. Jackson began to stand and stretch out his limbs, hearing a multitude of pops in the process. Even after the rest, he felt completely and utterly worn out. Now that the chaos has died down, the adrenaline had worn off, leaving him feeling very weak and tired. A majority of his wounds have already been sealed up, either through his half-semblance or his own doing, as he spent some of the time aboard patching himself up. Although he was now healed for the most part, he was still feeling very tender. After he felt like he was as awake as he was going to be, he popped open the side door of the cabin and hopped out. Before heading back, he turned around to face the pilot, and waved to him as thanks for bringing him here, to which the pilot acknowledged with a nod of his head, before swiftly taking off once more to retrieve the others. As soon as the Bullhead took off back towards Vale, Jackson turned back towards the academy, and began to make his way over to his room. He intended to quickly grab Apóllon, as well as anything else he deemed necessary, before heading back to his tree house. He needed some time to himself to think some things things over, and come to terms with what occurred.

Before he could even take five steps, his Scroll went off in his pocket. After fishing it out, he realized that he was receiving a broadcast from Professor Ozpin, which caused him to immediately open up the notification. His face soon took up the whole screen, and a red dot blipped in the top right corner, indicating that this was a live feed.

"Students of Beacon," Ozpin started. It seems like he wasn't the only one getting the message, it was sent out to every student in Beacon Academy.

"It has come to my attention that there have been some shocking events that recently transpired, and has left us all shaken, some more so than others. Some of the students have relatives that were around the vicinity of the breach, and it would do them well to know that they are fine and alright. That being said, it seems fitting that classes be put on hold for some time, to allow you to visit families and spend time with them. You are all given the choice to take one month off of school to return to your families and spend time with them to take time to recover and calm ourselves from such a shocking event. All that we ask is that you fill out a form for temporary absence through your Scrolls if you choose to leave. However, if you wish, you are welcome to stay on campus and continue your studies independently during that time. All the professors will remain on campus, more than willing to assist you if needed. Thank you for your attention, enjoy your day."

The feed immediately cut out, leaving Jackson to stare at his transparent reflection. Well, now he doesn't have to worry about disappearing from classes and having to face possible consequences upon his return. After having to search through his inbox, he eventually found the form Ozpin had spoken of, and once he filled it out and sent it to Glynda, he resumed his walk towards his dorm room.

As he walked over to his dorm, he began to think of Weiss and her significant other, how he put himself in between them and creating problems that were not needed. Granted, he had no prior clues of their relationship, but it did little to relieve the regret he currently felt. How come it never occurred to him, that someone like Weiss wasn't already taken, now that she wasn't restricted to the Schnee Manor? However, that freedom didn't come without its risks. Now that she was given the opportunity to mingle with others of all sorts of backgrounds and ethnicity, humans and faunus alike, there was now a great chance that there would be those that went after her name, and not actually _her_. The very thought of that possibility enraged Jackson beyond belief. How dare they attempt to go after the wealth and power she carries rather than the human being forcibly attached to the title? He would have to ask Neptune about Weiss, and if he doesn't like what he hears, then he'll make sure the bastard doesn't get the opportunity to go any further than he already has. But if he does genuinely like Weiss for who she is and not the name, then he doesn't want to interfere in what they have going on, and will peacefully step back to avoid any further issues from occurring. She deserves to be happy, and Jackson doesn't want to get in the way of that.

Eventually, he made his way through the twists and turns of the hallways, and found his dorm. Closing the door behind him, he took a look throughout his whole room, and eventually landed on the bed. God, how he wanted to just plop on there and sleep for eternity, but he'd rather do it in the tree house, so he can wait. Right now, his first order of business was grabbing Apóllon and quiver…and a new shirt. It was when he walked into his dorm, did he realize the rags he was currently wearing. In the last few hours, this shirt has gone through Hell and back, and has the rips and tears to show for it. Thankfully, Sam from the clothing store they had visited all those months ago had finally gotten enough materials to make the extra shirts Jackson had originally asked for, and if this was how every mission he went on was going to go, he's gonna need to place another order for more shirts.

Taking off the old one and slipping into the new one, he took a look at himself in the mirror to see how it suited him. Quite well. As he looked at himself, he noticed something else. He was beginning to grow facial hair. There was scruff that lined his jaw and upper lip, creating a very faint beard, if you could even call it that. He was surprised to find it there, he could've sworn he didn't let it grow this much…come to think of it, he doesn't even remember when was the last time he shaved, or if anyone pointed it out to him. No matter, now wasn't really the time to bicker over his self-grooming. Grabbing some spare clothes, as well as a spare hoodie, he was off.

After navigating the halls once more, he was able to make his way outside, and towards the edge of the Emerald Forest. As he neared the edge of the forest, a rustle among the trees revealed itself to be Jackson's trusty companion, Beanie. The large Grimm wagged its tail happily when he saw Jackson, and he was just as happy to see him, he could use a pal right about now. Giving Beanie a quick scratch behind the ear, they both set off deeper into the forest, hoping to cut himself off from the world once more, if only for a moment…

…

 _Beacon Academy Air Docks_

 _7:55 am_

The Bullhead returned once more to Beacon Academy, and when the cabin doors opened, it revealed itself to contain Teams RWBY and JNPR within. It was rather cramped in the cabin, what with eight people squeezing in. As soon as the cabin doors opened, everyone hopped out as quickly as they could, and began to stretch their bodies and savoring the open space that was temporarily robbed of them. As everyone began to pile out, Weiss was the last one to exit the airship, lagging behind the others by a fair amount. As soon as she departed, the cabin doors quickly closed and the Bullhead took off for the final time, now heading towards a nearby hangar, done with transporting personnel to and fro. She looked distracted by other things, as well as looking dejected. Ruby and Blake noticed her current state, but before they could speak, Yang let out a long, contented sigh.

"Aaaaahhhh," Yang breathed out. "Welp, I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna take a _long_ nap, then I'll be getting ready for a nice date with my special-someone." Ruby knew exactly who she was talking about, but this was news to Blake and team JNPR.

"Hold up," Blake said, gaining Yang's attention. "You're dating someone?"

"Mmhm!" Yang confirmed.

"…Who is it?" Blake asked. Team JNPR was also curious as to who was able to woo the ball of fire that is Yang Xiao Long.

"Wouldn't you all like to know?" Yang said, refusing to say who it was. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bed and a fluffy pillow that has my name written all over it." Blake and JNPR were slightly upset that Yang wasn't willing to reveal her lover as she trotted off towards the academy, but they would get over it in due time. Everyone had gotten the message Ozpin sent out to the entire student body, and while most of them had plans to return home for awhile, Ren and Nora seemed to be the only two that decided to stay in Beacon. As everyone began to make their way towards their dorms as well, Ruby stayed behind so she could speak with Weiss as soon as she caught up with her.

"Hey Weiss, are you alright?" Ruby asked, snapping her out of it and gaining her attention.

"O-Of course," Weiss said, but Ruby looked like she wasn't convinced. Soon enough, Weiss deflated once more. "*sigh*…No," she said in a defeated tone. "I feel awful. Things didn't go the way I was hoping they would, what with your sister coming in and making it more difficult than things needed to be, and now Jackson is heartbroken due to an out-of-context scenario!"

"But…it wasn't necessarily out of context," Ruby said.

"It was never official!" Weiss exclaimed. "Yang _had_ to open her mouth and blurt everything out! I'm aware I would've had to bring it up at some point, but at least I would've had control over when I chose to do it, and would've done it on my own terms!"

"But it that really an excuse for freezing her in a block of ice?" Ruby demanded in a questioning tone, one eyebrow raised.

"Well, looking back at it, maybe not," Weiss admitted. "Wait a minute, since when did you become the responsible one in the group?"

"When you decided to start acting like a child and freeze your teammate," Ruby quickly rebutted. "Besides, I'm team leader, I had to start at some point."

"And you decided to begin when I'm having romantic issues?"

"Someone had to take control," Ruby exclaimed. "Because it sure as heck wasn't going to be you or Yang! But look at things from a brighter point of view, now you don't have to worry about Neptune because now that's taken care of, even though it wasn't the ending you hoped for. But still, what's stopping you from talking things out with Jackson now?"

Weiss stopped in her tracks as she processed what Ruby had said. "You know what, you're right!" Weiss said. "There's nothing and no one from stopping me tell Jackson how I feel! I just need to get to him."

Ruby began to smile widely as she heard that. "Well, today's your lucky day!" Ruby called out in a heroic tone. "Because standing before you is one of the fastest people on the face of Remnant! Faster than a speeding bullet, I can get you from Point A to Point B in a snap! Where to?"

"Well," Weiss said, "Jackson's dorm would be a good place to start-" As soon as the words left her mouth, she could feel herself being lifted off of her own two feet, finding herself in the arms of one young Rose.

"Hold on!" Ruby said, before she began to charge her Semblance.

"Ruby what in the hell are you-?!" Her words were cut off as she bolted off towards the academy, Ruby leaving behind a plume of dust and a trail to signify where they headed. Weiss could hear the air whizz by her as she and Ruby dashed through the school as break-neck speeds. She couldn't make out where they were or who they were passing, and she was genuinely scared for her life. After fifteen seconds of pure blur, they came to an abrupt stop in front of their dorm room.

"Here we are!" Ruby chirped. Weiss attempted to get on her own two feet once they arrived, but she failed spectacularly as they buckled under her and she fell down. She stayed on the ground to allow the spinning to stop, and so she didn't vomit. As soon as she felt like she wouldn't fall over once more, she finally got her feet under her, albeit with some effort.

She turned to Ruby, slowly, and spoke to her. "Ruby," Weiss started, "Don't you ever, _ever_ do that again, without at least giving me ample time to prepare myself."

"Ehehe, sorry," Ruby sheepishly responded. "That would've been a good idea."

Weiss let out a huff as she soon let go of it. She turned so that she was now facing the door to Jackson's dorm, and took a moment to build up the courage to knock on it and speak to him. Once she felt like she was ready, Weiss took a deep breath and knocked on his door-

Only to have the door swing wide open as soon as she hit it with her knuckles.

"Huh?" Weiss thought aloud. "Hello? Are you here Jackson?" Allowing herself in, she looked around his room, and after checking the bathroom hesitantly, found him to be nowhere in sight. "What in the world…?"

Ruby popped her head through the doorway when she heard Weiss begin to question things. "Something wrong, Weiss?"

"Jackson isn't here," Weiss responded. "I don't get it, he's been here for at least an hour as we were waiting to arrive, where else could he have gone?" She could assume that he had gone to the cafeteria, but she doubts he'd spend an hour in the Mess Hall, even if he really wanted to. Plus, he was never known to drown his sorrows in food. The gun range, possibly, but she doesn't even know if Jackson knows where to look for it. Where else could he be? Suddenly, she got an idea of where he might be.

"Well, I'm going to have to go find him," Weiss said, attempting to sound nonchalant as she turned to face Ruby. "Thank you for assisting me in getting Ruby, I appreciate it- even if it was a little unorthodox."

"Happy to help Weiss," Ruby replied with pep in her voice. "And now that I'm done here, I should probably start packing some things for our trip back to Patch."

"Wait, you plan on returning home?" Weiss asked.

"Of course!" Ruby exclaimed. "Why would I spend time here, when I have the chance to go see my dad? Once Yang gets back from her date, we plan on packing some stuff, only a small amount, since we'll be coming back, and we're gonna be on the first ship out of here!"

"What about you Weiss?" Ruby asked. "Are you going back home to see family?"

' _Like hell,'_ Weiss immediately thought. ' _The whole reason I came to Beacon was to escape them.'_ "Actually-" She stopped herself from speaking any more, because a thought had occurred to her: What if she brought Jackson back with her? Her biggest reason for her train of thought was her mother. If there was anyone that was just as devastated upon hearing what happened to Jackson's village, if not more so, it was her. For the last three years, her mother had fallen into an almost severe case of alcoholism as a way to cope with her emotions. What had started out as a temporary solution soon spiraled out of control as time went on. If she could convince Jackson to come with her back home, she might be able to begin the healing process, knowing that there still remains a piece of a past she cared so deeply about.

"Actually," Weiss repeated, "I think I will. I originally planned to stay here at Beacon and get in some studying, but I think it would be better if I went home and visited family."

Ruby gave her a warm smile. "Hmm, that's nice. It's always a good idea to spend time with family every once in awhile."

Weiss gave her a nod, and a small smile in return. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find Jackson, and patch things up with him." And with that, she dashed out the room, quickly turning a corner and out of sight, Ruby waving goodbye at her the entire time. But as soon as Weiss fell out of eyesight, Ruby brought her hand down as her smile slowly disappeared, replaced with a somber look soon after. She shuffled her way out of the hallway and into her own dorm. Making her way over to her bed, or Weiss' bed rather, she plunked down on it and stared into the ether.

She's had this feeling before, but it came and went, never sticking around long enough to become an issue. But as of recently, the same feeling came back in waves, and stuck around for much longer than before. All these things that have been happening around her have started to affect her. Before this, she couldn't care less what people thought of her, how they saw her as someone with an avid interest in weapons, or someone a bit too young to be here to begin with. Regardless of what they thought, Ruby managed to make friends with people of different backgrounds, Weiss, Blake, and JNPR testament to that. However, as of recently, there have been bonds occurring that go deeper than a simple friendship. Yang has a very deep bond with Gage, one that most couples could ever hope to achieve, and Blake and Sun have been getting closer and closer as time goes on. Ren and Nora at this point are already a couple, but don't ever outright say it, and Pyrrha and Jaune have been getting along better, and while Jaune seems to think nothing of it, Ruby has noticed the glances the Mistral Champion would steal from time to time, and the longing stares towards the clumsy blonde. Ruby didn't have that kind of relationship with anyone, no one would really expect it, she's still young. But being exposed to older, more mature students have started to shape her in small ways, both in how she acted and how she thought, bringing her to a realization. She could be considered an isolated individual at times: she enjoyed working on Crescent Rose alone, she would practice her fighting styles alone, she would be off in her own little world, working on classwork while listening to music, or simply lounging around, enjoying a comic book or a magazine, alone.

But no matter how many things she enjoyed doing alone, she wasn't quite fond of being lonely.

…

 _Emerald Forest_

 _9:03 am_

Jackson was currently working on Titán, making sure nothing bad came from the ensuing fight earlier. Obviously, the weapon was fine, but it helped soothe Jackson's conscious, and he would soon do the same to Khvostov.

The journey back to his tree house was largely uneventful. Him and Beanie had only met a handful of Grimm, disposing of them quickly, and any large game they stumbled upon, Jackson would use his bow to quickly put it down and allow his pal to munch on some fresh meat. A pretty good substitute to human flesh, if he did say so himself. Soon enough, they had arrived home, Beanie residing directly under the house, snoring away. After resting for a bit, allowing himself the beauty of sleep for an hour or so, he began to look towards his arsenal, and make sure nothing was wrong with it. The process of taking apart and putting back together his weapons, as well as the gusts of wind and rustling of tree branches, allowed him to clear his mind and calm himself, focusing not on the then, or the when, but the now. What was in front of him, and nothing else. Even the music he had could not work the wonders the power of silence was currently enchanting him with.

However, his silence was soon disrupted by a sound of an aggressive growl coming from Beanie, snapping him out of whatever trance mother nature had him under. Letting out a small sigh, he quickly assembled Titán, loaded it, and began to make his way down from the tree. As he begun to climb down, he could hear the unsheathing of a weapon, no doubt aimed towards his dark companion. Without a second to spare, Jackson had released his grip on the branches, allowing himself to fall the remaining height to prevent anything unsavory happen to the fool that would draw a weapon against his companion. Coming down with a loud _THUD,_ Jackson straightened to his full height while beginning to draw out Titán to train on the poor sap, but he only managed to pull it out halfway before stopping himself.

Standing three feet away from a growling Alpha Beowolf, rapier drawn, was none other than Weiss Schnee, who had uncertainty written all over her face.

"Beanie, stop!" Jackson exclaimed. The Beowolf turned around its head to face him, and tilted his head to the side, confused with the sudden hesitation to attack.

"She's not a threat," Jackson explained, turning towards her. "Though I have no clue why she's out here to begin with."

With reluctance, the Beowolf stepped away from Weiss, allowing her relax and put away Myrtenaster. As soon as she did, she quickly ran over to Jackson and wrapped him in a hug. "Thank goodness I found you!"

Jackson quickly broke off the hug. "Weiss, what are you doing here?" He asked.

She was surprised that Jackson broke off the hug so quickly, but answered his question nonetheless. "I came looking for you," she responded. "It took me a while though, there's almost no landmarks to go off of, and I would occasionally lose my sense of direction for a moment. But I'm here."

"But why?" Jackson asked. "What is so important that you had to seek me out?"

"Well," Weiss started, "I wanted to speak with you about what happened at Vale Square."

Jackson visibly flinched when he heard that. "Listen Weiss," he said, "I'm really sorry about that. I wasn't aware that you were already in a relationship, and I feel horrible about intervening. I suppose I shouldn't have been so sudden and forward about it…"

"No no no!" Weiss said. "It's alright."

"What?" Jackson said; disbelief could be heard in his voice as he spoke. "It's not alright! You were already with someone else, who am I to complicate things?"

"That's not what I meant," Weiss replied. "After you had kissed me on the train, when Neptune confronted me in Vale Square, I ended whatever ties I had with him so…so I could be with you."

"What?!" Jackson exclaimed, sounding even more distressed.

Weiss was startled at Jackson's sudden outburst. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"No no no," Jackson repeated. "This isn't what I wanted to happen, this is exactly what I wanted to avoid!"

"Avoid what?" Weiss asked.

"This!" Jackson said, gesturing at himself and her, surroundings included, as he began to pace about. "Once I found out about Neptune, the last thing I wanted to do was cause any kind of issues or a falling-out between you two. My recklessness caused you to break up with him and leave him to wallow in his grievance." He stopped and turned towards Weiss. "You need to fix things with him."

"Excuse me?" Weiss asked, her turn to sound disbelieving.

"Patch things up with him," Jackson repeated. "He shouldn't have been brought into this, I never should have done the things I did on the train."

"You expect me to come crawling back to him, after dumping him in front of an audience to witness?" Weiss demanded.

"I don't know!" Jackson said, gripping his head. "I don't know what to do, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Neptune doesn't deserve any of this."

"Jackson, you don't even know him," Weiss argued, irritation beginning to seep into her voice. "You didn't even know his name before I told you moments ago."

"Meaning he's given me no reason whatsoever to do this kind of thing to him!"

"Don't you start this Jackson," Weiss warned. "Yang did this earlier back at Vale, and don't think I won't freeze you in a block of ice just like her."

Jackson suddenly stopped in his tracks, and stared at Weiss. "Wait a minute," he said. "You _froze_ Yang in a block of ice?"

Weiss realized what she just said, and her eyes widened at what she let slip out. "Well, only to her neck," Weiss meekly responded.

Jackson couldn't believe it. "Weiss, why?!" He asked. "What could Yang have possibly done to be encased in a block of ice?!"

"She started berating me on my handling of the situation with you and Neptune!" Weiss argued. "She was in no position to tell me how to handle said situation."

"Weiss, she's the reason I ever built up the courage to do what I did on the train."

"Please," Weiss said. "She was just being a tease, there was no way that's what caused you to kiss me."

" _Before that,_ " Jackson said, stopping Weiss in her tracks. "When we were still in Mountain Glenn, Yang had woken up from her sleep when I was taking watch. She noticed that I was drawing in the sketchbook, and took saw the sketches and portraits I had of you in there. Soon enough, she put the pieces together and found out about my crush on you. I had no clue what I could've done to confront my feelings for you, and she gave me some sound advice on how to do it, something I never could have figured out on my own. If it wasn't for her, I would still be holding in my feelings, still as clueless as I was before. She is also in a current relationship, so her words hold some merit to them." ' _Even if her boyfriend is an asswipe.'_

' _Then again, he_ was _helping me in finding those responsible for the destruction of my home…'_

Jackson quickly shook his head to rid the thought, and continued. "She could have been in danger Weiss," Jackson said. "What then?"

"Her hair catches fire," Weiss rebutted. "She is a walking fireball. She was fine!"

"So just because someone can come out of it alright because they have the ability to do so, it makes it alright to do?" Jackson questioned. "I get shot in the leg, 'oh no big deal, I'll just use my semblance and fix it in a jiffy!'"

"Now you _know_ that's not what I meant!" Weiss exclaimed. "Why the sudden hostility towards me Jackson?"

"Because you broke a man's heart due to my own stupidity, something that I never wanted to occur to begin with, and you froze your teammate, your _friend_ , in a block of ice, the same one who allowed me to break out of my shell! For what, speaking her mind?"

Weiss was now flustered, her anger now getting to her, and clouding her mind. "That blonde bimbo was sticking her nose in business that was never hers to be concerned of!"

Jackson was taken aback, he had never seen this side of her, and he knew this was something that didn't exist before. "What happened, Weiss?"

"What are you talking about?" Weiss asked, annoyance still evident in her voice.

"I mean what happened to you!" Jackson quickly replied. "Back then, you wouldn't have even so much as give anyone the stink eye, let alone speak so lowly of them to their friends! You were such a sweet and caring girl, what could've caused you to change so much in three years, to cause you to something like this over something as trivial as ill-spoken words?"

"Maybe it had to do with what happened three years ago, where we all thought you were dead alongside everyone else in the village, and you didn't have the _guts_ to tell us that you were _alive._ Maybe it had to do with my mother turning into a raging alcoholic after losing a very important aspect of her life, unaware of _your_ survival." Tears began to freely fall from her face as she recalled painful memories. "Maybe it had to do with the isolated lifestyle I lived afterwards, the village being my only source of the outside world, as well as its occupants, _especially_ you. Maybe it had to do with the utter devastation I felt after losing you three years ago, thinking I lost the closest friend I ever had, and that I didn't have to courage to tell him how I really felt, feeling I wasted an opportunity that I would _never get again,_ essentially snapping my heart in two!"

Her words struck deeper than any sword, axe, or gun could even begin to muster. Recalling such horrible moments in her life after his disappearance stung not only because she blamed him for what happened to her and her family, but because it was true. He couldn't bring himself to face them afterwards, leaving them to grieve over his friends, his family, and himself. Weiss' confession towards the end made the emotional blow that much more devastating, now knowing she harbored these feelings for him for years. If Jackson had only just contacted them once he collected his bearings, maybe things could have turned out better for them. Maybe Weiss wouldn't be the person she is today, and maybe her mother wouldn't be the alcoholic Weiss claims she is. The fact that she had the audacity to use this against him, even after explaining why earlier, gave him the answer he was looking for. She crossed the line.

"That's all I needed to hear," Jackson said, a hitch in his voice as he spoke. "Weiss… I think it would be best if you left now, and allowed me some time to myself to think things over."

Weiss' anger quickly dissipated as she heard him speak. Her words had a much greater effect than what she originally anticipated, his voice and face showing all that needed to be shown. "Jackson, wait-"

"I won't ask a second time Weiss," Jackson said, cutting her off, his voice strong and stern. Beanie quickly came up to the pair, staring at Weiss. "If you need to, I can have Beanie take you outside the Emerald Forest, and back onto Beacon's campus."

Weiss balled up her hands into a tight fist, her body shaking, tears beginning to flow freely once more. "I can find my own way back, thank you very much," Weiss said in an indignant tone. Without another word, Weiss spun on her heels and quickly left, leaving the two entities to their own devices. Jackson could hear small sobs escape Weiss as she went along the path she came from, slowly getting farther and farther, until neither she, nor her sobs, could be made out.

Jackson stood there for ten minutes, still as a statue, and as silent as the nature surrounding him, until his breathing began to become irregular, his body began to tremble, and he lashed out, screaming to the heavens as he wailed upon a nearby tree, slashing it with no intention of letting up. Once Jackson had exhausted himself, he collapsed to the ground, as he began to release his emotions, not caring who or what heard him. The guilt he now felt after Weiss' rant was too much. He continued to cry for ten minutes, until he was absolutely certain he drained every last drop from his tear ducts. Slowly standing back up from where he was hunched over, he dragged himself back within his home among the trees, and fell in a heap among the sheets of fur skins that made up his bed.

…

Jackson awoke two hours later, feeling slightly better than he did before, but not by much. Upon waking up, he pulled himself out of bed and stretched himself out. As he stretched, he suddenly remembered of something important he had to do. Fishing out his Scroll, he went through his contacts until he landed on Yang's number, and dialed it. The line rang only twice before the other side picked up.

"Hello?" Yang asked, curious about who was calling her.

"Yang, it's me," Jackson said.

"Jackson?!" Yang exclaimed. "What happened? Weiss disappeared for two hours, and came back a total mess. We've tried talking to her, but she won't so much as speak to us. Do you have any idea what's going on with her?"

"Sadly," Jackson replied solemnly. "Weiss came to find me in the Emerald Forest, and we got into a huge fight. Neither of us came out of it the victor."

"Jesus," Yang breathed. "How are you doing? You already know what happened to Weiss."

"Not much better off than her," Jackson said. "But that's not the reason I called. I needed to ask you for a favor."

"Of course, what is it?" Yang asked.

"Well, it's in regards to Gage," Jackson sheepishly answered. "Before I was aware of your relationship with him, he was my info broker, the one working on the case I requested to find the people responsible for destroying my home. You're well aware of what occurred between us back at Mountain Glenn, you socked me into the side of a wall because of it. There's a high chance that he's thrown my case out the window entirely after that incident, and I wanted to ask you if you could talk to him and hopefully convince him to keep the case.

"Please Yang, I can't have him bail out on me, we had just started getting somewhere." Yang could hear the plea in his voice as he spoke. "All I want from him is to finish this, and then I won't ask any more of him afterwards."

Silence engulfed the line as Yang didn't speak, and Jackson waited for a response from her. After fifteen seconds of silence, Jackson began to worry, until the silence was broken. "I'll talk to him about it later today," Yang said. "I can understand where you're coming from, Jackson. Believe it or not, I'm doing the exact same thing you are, but with a few minor differences."

Jackson breathed out a sigh of relief, glad to hear that she'll speak to him. It's not a one-hundred-percent guarantee, but it's better than nothing, and it's what he's asking from her. "Thank you Yang, I don't how I can repay you."

"Don't worry about it Jackson…" Yang casually said. "…I'll think of something."

' _Oh boy,'_ he thought. ' _That doesn't sound good.'_

"Well, I've gotta get going," Yang said, tearing Jackson from his thoughts. "I need to get ready for a night out on the town."

"But, it's only half past eleven," Jackson pointed out.

"Do you have any idea how long it takes to get this hair perfect?" Yang incredulously asked. "After a day like this, all the rubble and dust getting in it, it'll be a miracle if I'm ready by eight! I'll see you later."

Jackson let out a chuckle. "Alright, until then." He pulled the Scroll away from him, and pressed a finger against the screen, promptly ending the call. "Honestly, how Gage manages to put up with her is beyond me…"

Just as he went to place it back in his pocket, the Scroll rang out, telling him he received a message, but by who, he hadn't the faintest clue. Pulling it back up to his face, he was surprised to find out the message came from Weiss. Of all the people who knew how to contact him, Weiss was currently at the very bottom of the list. Tapping the flashing envelope icon, he opened up the message Weiss sent him:

 _Jackson,_

 _I know you are aware of the month-long absence we have been given, it's been sent to all of us. I know we aren't necessarily on speaking terms at the moment, but I wanted to invite you to come with me back home to Atlas to confront my mother. If you don't want to do it for me, then do it for her. She deserves to know the truth, and you owe it to her after all this time._

 _-W.S._

Jackson read over the message over and over, making sure he read it correctly and he wasn't imagining things. After going over it about ten times, he was convinced that it was indeed what he made it out to be. Jackson was torn. Weiss was right, her mother deserves to know the truth about him, it's only right; however, he can't bring himself to face her, how she'll react, the time he's left letting her wallow in her misery…

' _No, no she's right. Her mother needs to know the truth about me, whether I like it or not.'_ Quickly making use of his determination before he allows himself to have second thoughts, Jackson grabbed a backpack he had lying about, filling it with clothes and under-garments, as well as ammunition. As soon as he was sure that he gathered everything he needed for his trip, he looked at the doorway, took a deep breath, and stepped outside, heading towards the docks at Beacon.

It's time for things to properly heal, he owes it to her. Only then, can he allow himself to lift the weight from his shoulders.

…

AN: **And that's the chapter! Delaying the ship even further, as you can all see. We'll get there someday. I'm sorry if this chapter was lacking in the action-department, but I had to step back from the explosions and fight-scenes a bit to allow this to happen. The next chapters will have a similar style to this one, but don't worry, the action will come back before you even know it. Also, an important announcement: In the coming weeks, instead of a new chapter to go along with this story, I will be working on and publish a one-shot in the spirit of the holidays! I have yet to come up with any actual title, but I have the whole thing already planned out, it's just a matter of finding the time to write it up, so keep an eye out for that. As always, Follow, Favorite, Review, I'm more than happy to receive any constructive criticism, as well as respond to any questions any of you may have. Happy Holidays!**


	16. Jackson's Atlas Adventure: Part One

AN: **Hello everyone, and welcome back to Dead Man Walking! For those of you that might not be aware, the reason I took so long to get this new chapter out was because I was working on a one-shot in celebration of the New Year, titled New Year, Same Dead Man. If any of you take a liking to lemons, then it just might pique your interest. Speaking of New Years, I hope everyone had a fun celebration of the New Year, and hope that it will treat us well.**

 **Shoutout to Arrekusu, Psychomidget1, and Foxfistmicfox for following/favoriting the story, let's begin!**

…

 _Emerald Forest_

 _11:57 am_

After being forced to hype himself up after taking five steps away from the tree house, Jackson was now making good progress, nearing the edge of the forest. With Titán holstered at his side, and Khvostov grasped firmly in his clutches, he set out to face his demons, thanks to an opportunity given to him by the heiress. However, just because he was nearing the academy, doesn't mean that he didn't continue to have second thoughts as he did so. In fact, the closer he got, the more frequent they would appear. And to make things worse, not only does he have to face Ms. Schnee, he also must find a way to live in the Schnee Manor in relative comfort for the next month, what with the hostility between him and Weiss.

At last, Jackson had exited the forest and could clearly see Beacon towering in the distance. Saying goodbye to his companion, he continued on by himself. Funnily enough, the moment he stepped out into the clearing, all shadows of doubts he had prior disappeared completely, replaced with certainty and determination. He felt like he had passed the point of no return. Before heading to the air docks to meet with Weiss, Jackson wanted to make one last trip back to his dorm and do a once-over to make sure he had all that he needed and didn't forget anything important.

As he walked to his dorm, he noticed that while the campus was practically abandoned at this point, there was a light and happy atmosphere emanating from the few that decided to stay. Students were throwing frisbees across the open courtyard, others were, as expected, taking the month-long grace period to cram in any studying they have yet to complete, or some were just gathered around in a circle on the grass, sharing stories from home, or sharing laughs. This was the calmest Jackson had ever seen the student body act at the school. Even the teachers were walking around at a blissful pace, mainly to make sure that students didn't do anything wrong, but the sense of calm and relaxation could still be felt coming from them.

Jackson was so wrapped up in witnessing the carefree attitude all throughout the school, that he didn't realize he was now in his hallway, almost walking past it entirely before catching himself. Walking up to his door, he unlocked it using his Scroll and walked right in-

He stopped in his tracks.

Something wasn't right, everything felt… off. Looking around his room, he began to notice that small things were out of place in his room, his bathroom door left unopened. Now, he wasn't a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but he definitely took notice of things that were put out of place than he originally had it. Did someone go through his room? He could've sworn he locked his door the last time he left… Now that he thinks about it, he never heard a click when he placed his Scroll near the door…

Letting out a loud sigh, Jackson proceeded to grab a few more changes of clothing, and an extra pair of boots to go in his bag, before exiting his room, and double-checking the door. Once he was sure it was securely locked, he took two steps to the right, and ended up in front of Team RWBY's dorm. Hopefully one of the team members was in their dorm when whoever it was entered his room. Knocking on the door, he waited for about three seconds before hearing the patter of feet, the door opening before him. And lo and behold, it was Team RWBY's very own leader Ruby Rose, who seemed surprised to see him at first, but quickly changed tune.

"Jackson!" Ruby happily exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi Ruby," Jackson replied. "I wanted to ask you if you noticed anyone enter my room as of recently."

"Oh that was us," Ruby quickly answered.

"What?" Jackson asked. "What were you doing in my room? And what do you mean by 'us'? Was your entire team in there?"

"No, it was just me and-" Ruby stopped herself as she visibly flinched, and her happy demeanor seemed to have darken. "Me and Weiss," she finished. "Weiss was looking for you earlier, she wanted to patch things up between you two after… you know."

"Oh." Jackson needn't hear another word. "Okay, that's alright then, I suppose. I thought someone was snooping through my stuff looking for something. I was thankful that nothing was stolen when I first entered, but I was concerned of who it was, and if they'd return."

"Jackson," Ruby blurted out. "You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with how Weiss is right now… do you?"

Silence engulfed the dorm room, Jackson hesitant to respond to her question, but soon relented. "I… I do, actually. I don't know if she told you, but Weiss went out into the Emerald Forest to look for me, most likely right after you two looked for me in my room. It's true, she did want to patch things up, but… things didn't turn out the way either of us wanted it to. I'll spare you the full drama, but things are tense between us at the moment."

Ruby couldn't believe what she heard. "Tense, _tense?_ Jackson, she barged into our room a sobbing mess, and flopped down on the mattress face first, not saying a single word to me or Blake! What did you two say to each other?"

Jackson was irritated he was now being interrogated by Ruby, but he could understand where she was coming from. Her friend walked out completely normal, and was spat out a hundred times worse than when she went in. Jackson would have done the same thing, maybe a bit more aggressively.

So, he gave her an answer. "Weiss tried to justify her actions in what she did with her former-boyfriend, Neptune, but I never wanted this to happen if she was already taken. But I was far too forward, far too quickly, and I ruined whatever was between them, without even knowing. Then, she let slip about what happened between her and Yang, and I couldn't believe my ears. That's where the real fighting began to happen, and some things were exchanged that should not have been exchanged, and by that point I had had enough. I told her to leave, sternly, to allow myself some time to come to terms with certain realities."

"What realities, Jackson?" Ruby asked.

"The fact that she isn't the same woman I fell in love with three years ago…" Jackson whispered.

Ruby was quickly silenced. She hadn't realized it earlier, but Jackson is just as much of a victim as Weiss is. Neither of them, especially Weiss, seemed to have come out of the argument unscathed, and Jackson seemed just as hurt as Weiss, just better at covering it up. Ruby is fully aware that she doesn't have the full picture, but from what she does know, it's rough between them. Three years is a very long time, enough for someone to change, for better, or for worse; and sadly, Jackson sees it as the latter, if only a little. The entire endeavor couldn't be pinned on him, how else would one react to see a loved one change drastically the last time they met them?

"I'm… I'm sorry to hear that Jackson," Ruby said. And she truly was, she wasn't making a show of it. "But you guys are so close, I'm sure you guys can pull through it!"

Jackson just had to smile. Even in bleak times, for herself or others, Ruby's optimism always seems to brighten the room around them. "Heh, thanks Ruby," he said. "I really appreciate the support."

"Happy to be of help Jackson," she easily replied. "I'm always here for you."

"You're here for everyone," Jackson joked. "But that doesn't make me feel any less special than if it were just me. One of these days, I'm gonna have to return the favor somehow."

"You don't have to, really," Ruby kindly declined.

"I know I don't, and your modesty makes you all the more deserving of it," Jackson said. Aside from his parents, Jackson has never seen someone as kind and helpful as Ruby.

' _She really is going to make someone very happy.'_

"Well," Jackson said, "I'm off, I'll see you and Yang in a month." And with that, he turned on his heels and walked out of the dorm. As he left, he didn't notice Ruby's happy demeanor suddenly take a somber turn, his back faced to her.

Soon after, Jackson left the dorm, and was out in the hallway once more. Now having checked what he needed, and secured his dorm, he finally headed towards the air docks, where Weiss was most likely waiting for his arrival.

As he began to walk through the hallways towards the air docks, Jackson began to think about his arrival at the Schnee Manor. He was obviously not a high-class citizen, his outfit of choice could not have made him look more shady if he tried. How would her father react when he sees his daughter bring in a drug dealer to their home? More importantly, how would Weiss' _mother_ react? Of this entire trip, Weiss' mother is what had him the most squeamish. What would she do when she finds out he's alive? What if she was drunk when they finally meet? There were so many routes Jackson's reunion with her could take, and he was terrified of all of them. No amount of mental preparation could ever suffix for when the real encounter comes to fruition.

Because Jackson was too busy thinking about his inevitable meet-up with Ms. Schnee, he didn't notice the other student in front of him until he bumped into him, rather roughly, and cause him to spill whatever contents he had in his arms. Jackson had dropped his Scroll as well when he bumped into the student.

"Hey, watch where you're going asshole!" The student exclaimed.

Jackson was immediately confused when he came back to reality, but it didn't take him long to figure out what was currently going on, especially now that the student yelled at him. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry," Jackson apologized. Bending over to pick up his Scroll, he found much more scattered among his device, coming from the unfortunate victim of Jackson's ignorance. Books, papers, and a binder had spilled all over the floor.

"Here, let me help you get your stuff together," Jackson offered as he began to pick up different papers. The student didn't give him a response, good or bad, but he didn't stop him from picking them up; instead, he hunched over and began to pick up things as well. Once everything was gathered, what Jackson had in his hands he gave over to its rightful owner, who silently took the papers. But as he handed them over, he noticed the pair of ears he had on his head.

"You're a Faunus," Jackson stated.

"Yeah, what about it?" The student asked, aggression audible in his tone of voice.

Jackson quickly raised up his hands to defuse the situation. "Nothing, nothing!" He exclaimed. "It's just one of those things that comes out on its own, whether you want it to or not, you know?"

The student held the stare for a moment longer, before closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. "Yeah, I know," he responded. "Sorry about that, most of my past experiences with other humans haven't been as calm and civilized as you are right now."

"Sorry to hear that," Jackson said. "I don't have anything against Faunus, so you don't have to worry about me."

"Glad to hear that." The student extended his hand. "I'm Ethan."

Jackson took it with a firm grip and shook it. "Jackson," he replied.

"Oh, so _you're_ the Jackson everyone keeps talking about," Ethan said.

"Jesus, you make it sound like I'm a celebrity," Jackson joked. "Yeah, that's me, what have you heard?"

"Let's see," Ethan pondered. "You own a Grimm pet, you've handed Cardin his ass more times than he can probably count, and you went ape-shit on Teams RWBY and JNPR."

The far latter of the list caused Jackson to flinch and lose a bit of his smile. "Yeah… that last one isn't one of my best moments."

"Regardless of what it was, it was still pretty damn impressive," Ethan complimented. "You took on eight people by yourself, and managed to take down six of the eight people, one of them being Pyrrha Nikos, the Mistral Champion, before finally going down."

"Yeah, impressive…" Jackson absentmindedly said. "Anyways, do you plan on going home for the month-long vacation?"

"I wish," Ethan groaned. "My grades are barely afloat as it is, this month has become my saving grace. I plan on using every second of it to study, finish up projects, and turn in any late work the professors will allow me to still turn in. What about you, you gonna use it to study as well?"

"Actually," Jackson said, "I'm going to stay over with a friend in Atlas for the month, use it to catch up."

"Sheesh, that's rough," Ethan said. "The Atlas thing, not your friend. I hear Atlas is a pretty harsh place, always in a constant state of cold and ice and snow."

"I've never been there before," Jackson explained. "So it'll be a new experience, regardless of whether it's good or bad. As a matter of fact, I've never traveled to any of the other continents."

"Really? I'm from Vacuo, so you can see my discontent with somewhere like Atlas, though I've gone to Menagerie to visit relatives." Ethan had another question pop into his mind. "Who's your friend? I'm still pretty new around here, but I make friends quickly."

Jackson was hesitant to say who it was, for obvious reasons. But maybe he can convince Ethan of her otherwise sour public perspective among the Faunus. "It's, uh… Weiss Schnee…?"

And just as he thought, Ethan's reaction was less than pleased, as the ears atop his head flattened out, and his face soured. "Hold up, you're friends with _the_ Weiss Schnee? As in, the one that's affiliated with the SDC, known for Faunus slave labor and little-to-no wages for said Faunus?"

"Now hold it right there," Jackson said. "The SDC may be known for those things, but Weiss has no connections to any of those allegations."

"Like hell she does!" Ethan rebutted. "She's heiress to the company, meaning she'll one day take over."

"Which also means that she hasn't had any hand in how the business has been run as of yet," Jackson countered. "Her dad has been running the show so far, and she's personally told me how she doesn't want to be anything remotely similar to him, not now, not ever. So, that means that there can be a change in how she runs things when she takes over."

Ethan still had a nasty look, but the hostility seemed to have lessened. "Do you really think that things will change for Faunus when she takes over?"

"I know things will change," Jackson stated. "And for the better." ' _At least I hope so, these last three years might have changed more of her than I thought.'_

Ethan held the acquisitive stare for a while longer, before eventually breaking it off. "*sigh*, Alright, I'll take your word for it, it's not like there isn't much else I can do."

Jackson smiled. "Thank you," he said. "And I'll run that by her when I get the chance, you can count on that. Well, I have to get going, she's probably waiting for me at the docks already."

"Right, I shouldn't keep you from getting to her," Ethan agreed. "It was cool meeting you Jackson. I'll see you around."

"Likewise." They shared one last handshake before parting ways, Jackson continuing his path towards the air docks, and Ethan heading towards the library. As Jackson walked, he thought about how well his encounter with Ethan went, especially since it started off poorly. He was quite hesitant about the SDC, as most Faunus nowadays are, but that didn't bother him. He noticed that he was also well built, maybe he would spar with him sometime in the future to see how he is in the ring.

The moment Ethan had turned a corner, now out of sight, he immediately put whatever things he had in his arms aside, and pulled out his Scroll. Once he did, he checked to see if the bug he planted on Jackson functioned properly. As they passed each other, Ethan threw a bug into Jackson's walking path, and when he stepped on it, the bug had essentially implanted itself into the sole of Jackson's boot. And just as he hoped, Jackson appeared on the map on his Scroll, a red dot giving off a constant _blip_. As long as Jackson's boot bug received any sort of signal from the CCT, no matter how weak, Ethan could pinpoint his location almost anywhere on the globe.

After discovering that Jackson continued to live, Adam had Ethan train with a rifle so that his accuracy would be top-notch up to a mile away. He still had some way to go before he reached that, but it's no lie that Ethan was a damn fine shot for a good long distance. He was already a good shot before taking up the task, and the constant training he's done in the Beacon Firing Range has done nothing but improve upon it. Once he reached that capability, all that remained was for Cinder to give the all-clear to blow his brains out. As for the bug, Cinder doesn't want his murder to take place on school grounds, in fear that it will bring too much attention to the academy, and possibly the staff and student body. Ironwood has already begun to place sentries and Knights all throughout the campus in preparation for the Vytal Tournament and the safety of the students, local and offshore. The presence of the Atlesian Military has already begun to make things difficult for Cinder, she does not need to add anything more to her plate.

As a result, if deemed necessary, Jackson's assassination would take place outside of school grounds, and the bug is to assist in help locating the proper place for it to happen. However, Ethan now knows that for the next month, Jackson will be residing within the walls of the Schnee Manor in Atlas. But that place is a fortress, the White Fang's last attempt at the Manor resulted in bulking up security tenfold afterwards. So, the bug is nice to have, should they not find a way to do it in Atlas, and must delay it to after his stay in the Manor.

Regardless, Ethan would be the man that is given the chance to kill Jackson, who should've died alongside his family and friends in his village. All it will take is the go-ahead, and with a bit more practice, one well placed shot.

…

Jackson currently navigated the halls, nearing the air docks as time went by. Looking at his Scroll, it was already 12:15 pm, which had him concerned. He was supposed to meet with Weiss five minutes ago, and the private Bullhead takes off for the Manor in five minutes as well. He would have to hurry, otherwise he runs the risk of being left behind. If it weren't for the fact that Ms. Schnee has suffered enough about his disappearance, he would be completely fine with missing the flight.

Just as he began to pick up the pace, a voice shouted out from behind him to grab his attention. "Hey, wait!"

' _God damn it, not again,'_ Jackson internally groaned. He turned around to face the voice, and instead of one person as he originally anticipated, it was actually _three_ people, two females and one male, to be exact. One female had ebony skin and green hair, the male had grey hair and light skin, and the other female had also light skin and jet black hair, similar to his own. However, something seemed off about the far latter of the group; she seemed very mature for her age, and there was an air of authority surrounding her, again, something peculiar for someone her age. But she was beautiful, Jackson could guarantee that she had more than half of the male student body nipping at her heels, at her beck and call.

It was the ebony girl that called out to him. "Hey, can you help us with something?"

"Uh, now isn't really the best time miss," Jackson said. "I'm in a bit of a hurry to get somewhere."

"We only need some directions," she urged. "We tried making our way to the Mess Hall, but we lost our way in the hallways. We're from Haven, so we don't have the layout of this place yet. Can you help us?"

If they only need some directions, he can do that, but he'd have to do it quick. "Alright, erm, go down the hall we're in right now, take a right, and it should take you into the big main hallway. Take a left down it, and keep going until you find it on your right, you really can't miss it."

"Thank you, we really do appreciate it," the mature one said. "But you can be a dear and guide us there yourself, just so we can remember it ourselves and we don't get lost anymore?"

"Sorry, that I can't do," Jackson replied. "As I said, I'm in a hurry, and I'm cutting it close as it already is."

Cinder sauntered closer to where Jackson stood. "Aw, are you sure you can't spare a few more minutes to help us?" She leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I can make it worth your while…"

A chill went down Jackson's spine as he took a large step back. "Alright, I'm gonna stop you right there," Jackson blurted out. "I'm sure you can find your way there by yourselves, otherwise you can ask some other guys to help you." He then turned to Cinder. "And I don't mean to be rude, but something about you unsettles me."

The other two had widened their eyes when he said that, and Cinder had taken an aghast look. "Excuse me?" She asked, not sounding nearly as charming as she did moments ago.

Jackson sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, there's no easy way to put it, so I'm just gonna say it. You're sending off some some creepy vibes."

If Cinder hadn't been offended before, she sure as hell was now. "How _dare_ you?!" She exclaimed. "More than half of the hormonal boys in this school would kill to have any remote chance to be with me!"

"Meaning you have one less hormonal teenager to worry about," Jackson replied. "Now I really need to get going, so-"

"Not until you tell me who she is!" Cinder demanded. "Which one of these girls could have captured your heart before me, and is enough to keep me from ripping it out of their clutches?"

Now Jackson was getting new vibes from her. "Well, no one at the moment," Jackson lied. "And I have yet to see any personality from you, aside from the control freak-esque portion I just witnessed."

Right when she thought she couldn't get any more offended, he manages to find new ways to do so. "Control freak?!"

"That, or you receive rejection very poorly," Jackson added. "Plus, a relationship based on looks alone would be an empty shell of a thing to have."

Cinder was infuriated, so much so, that Mercury and Emerald thought they were about witness steam spew out from her ears. "Why you indignant little-"

"Wow would you look at the time!" Jackson exclaimed, fully aware of how much he was upsetting her, and what better way to top it off than to cut her off before she could finish? "Well, I would love to stay and talk more about the foundation of a strong relationship, but I've got a flight to catch, see you around!" Jackson turned on his heels and dashed off towards the air docks, not giving Cinder or her associates to get a word out.

As he ran off, desperate to make it to the Bullhead, Cinder stood there, aghast, enraged, flabbergasted, any word the English language could come up with to display her emotions towards the events that just occurred.

Mercury finally spoke up. "Yeesh, that was rough, wasn't it Cinder?" The snarky comment snapped Cinder out of her comatose state. Once she did, Mercury could have sworn the hallway had warmed up considerably.

"Call Adam," Cinder said, venom dripping from her tone of voice. "Tell him he can have his little vengeance, that bastard isn't any good for us anyway. And if what he claims is true, it's better to be rid of him, so he doesn't cause us issues later."

"Can do." Mercury whipped out his Scroll, not his school one, it was specially made so that it connected to Adam and Cinder's associates, no one else. However the group was only given one, and technically, the Scroll belonged to Cinder, not him. But for some reason, Cinder gave it to Mercury anytime they had to make those calls, although the calls themselves were a rarity. Once Mercury dialed in the number, he tapped the phone icon and called. It only rang twice before the person on the other end of the line picked up.

"What is it?" Adam asked. He wasn't much of a fan for the unexpected calls, and would get straight to the point. The quicker he got through them, the sooner he could return to whatever he had at hand.

"A simple 'hello' wouldn't hurt you to say every once in awhile," Mercury replied, eliciting a growl from the bull Faunus.

"You've gotten the all-clear on Jackson, go crazy." With that, Mercury cut off the line immediately, and handed the Scroll back to Cinder. "I wonder what he has planned for him."

"Whatever it may be," Cinder said, "I expect him to accomplish it, I'd rather not reside within the same building as _him_."

"Wow, you really might be bad at taking rejection," Mercury said, a small chuckle escaping him.

Cinder's snapped towards him, and she gave him a glare. "Watch it, boy. I could turn you to ashes where you stand, and you wouldn't even know it."

Under normal circumstances, Mercury would simply scoff and encourage whoever threatened him to go through with it, but Cinder was no normal person. He's seen what she's capable of first hand, and how little remorse she shows for it. After her comment, a chill had gone down his spine and straightened him out quickly. He didn't dare say another word afterwards.

Cinder gave one quick nod before turning back forwards. She now focused on what was before them, which was the month-long vacation they were given, and how they would spend the time. Should they continue their cover here, and see if any potential advantages to their plans appear, or return to her superior and relay what has happened in person and discuss with her what should come next? Regardless of what they chose, aside from the breach, things were shaping up nicely for them, and soon enough their plan would come to fruition. If everything went accordingly, there would be nothing stopping them from bringing everything down in a burning fire.

…

 _Beacon Academy Air Docks_

 _12:19 pm_

Weiss was currently in her private Bullhead, impatiently waiting for Jackson so they could finally leave for the Manor. He was supposed to be here nine minutes ago, and not a single sign of him was around, not even a simple text. ' _Dammit Jackson, I know that we're not on good terms at the moment, but this isn't about us, it's for my mother. The least you could do is be in the same damn vehicle with me for a few hours to make it happen.'_

"Miss Schnee?" The pilot snapped Weiss out of her thoughts when he spoke up. "I'm afraid we must have to depart soon, so I suggest you buckle yourself in." He began to start the engines as the mechanical whirr began to rise in pitch.

"No!" Weiss exclaimed. "We need to wait just a bit longer!"

"I can't do that Ms. Schnee," the pilot said. The Bullhead began to hover above the ground as it very slowly gained altitude. "I am under strict orders from your father to bring you back as soon as possible, which should have been the moment you set foot within the cabin, and I have a schedule to keep. There isn't a thing I can do abo-"

"WAIT!"

Both Weiss and the pilot turned towards the outcry, to find Jackson sprinting towards the Bullhead. Once she saw him, she felt a twang of happiness within her, but quickly remembered their situation, which replaced it with anger and irritation for him being late. Jackson didn't bother slowing down, as he jumped into the air, landing in the cabin, placing his arms against the opposite wall and coming to a hard stop.

The pilot turned around to face the new person accommodating the aircraft with a skeptical look. "I take it, you are Ms. Schnee's plus one?"

Jackson breathed a bit heavily, trying to catch his breath. "*pant*, Yeah, that's me. Apologies for running late sir."

"Well, at least you arrived," the pilot replied. "We have a long flight ahead of us, so I suggest you both get seated and as comfortable as you can be."

Both nodded, and began to sit, Jackson placing his bag aside as he strapped in. Weiss had stored whatever she decided to bring along with her while she was waiting for him, only going through the process of strapping in as well.

Once she did, she turned her head towards Jackson. "What the hell took you so long to arrive?" It didn't necessarily come out as aggressive, but it was far from genuine curiosity. Jackson returned the stare when Weiss stated her question. His stare was not hostile, nor comforting, but one of indifference. The lack of emotion unsettled her and caused her to shrink into her seat a bit.

"Some other students held me up from arriving as soon as I should have." His tone of voice matched his face, monotone with no hint of life. "Regardless, I'm here, and now… I suppose I'm going to have to confront your mother."

Weiss regained some courage once her mother was mentioned. "That you will," she stated; she might as well have set it in stone. "You owe it to her to show that you're still alive, after all this time."

"Yeah, no need to drill it in," Jackson replied. "I'm on the Bullhead, I can't really turn back now. Unless…"

"Jackson, if you so much as begin to stand up from your seat-" Weiss began, before being cut off by Jackson.

"Or what? You'll freeze me to the cabin?" Jackson taunted. Jackson didn't intend to make an abrupt departure from the Bullhead, but he was able to find it within himself to challenge Weiss and her threat. Unbuckling himself from the seat, and exposing himself to any unexpected turbulence, he stood up, intending to walk over to the sliding side door. However, when he tried to walk, his foot was not brought up as he expected, instead being planted firmly to the floor. Looking down, he found a small block of ice, encasing his legs up to his shins. He looked back at Weiss, shock evident on his face as she actually went through with what he taunted her for, only to receive a smug grin in return from her. He was angry at her, without a doubt, but he also harbored a begrudging respect for her for making good on what she threatened him with. Without breaking eye contact, Jackson slowly sat back down, buckling himself once more as he began to get comfortable once again for the long flight ahead of him.

…

 _Schnee Manor_

 _4:20 pm_

Jackson was jostled awake when the Bullhead landed, performing a small bounce in the process. Groggily looking around, he attempted to regain his bearings and remember what he had done in the last few hours. Soon enough, he remembers where he was, and why he was her, causing him to look over at the only other passenger in the Bullhead. Weiss was fully awake, already unbuckling from her seat and standing up, Jackson following suit soon after. Picking up his duffel bag, he slung it over his shoulder, nearing the cabin door.

The pilot called out from the cockpit. "We've arrived," he announced. "If either of you feel the need to layer up, there are jackets available underneath the seats." Jackson immediately turned to Weiss, only to find her wearing a coat that fit snugly around her body, the hood pulled up.

It didn't do much to ease Jackson. "Um, Weiss," Jackson started. "What did the pilot mean by available layers underneath the-"

Before he could even complete asking his question, the cabin door opened, and in came a gush of cold air and a ray of light, catching both passengers off-guard, one far more than the other. The rush of cold air caused Jackson to immediately squint his eyes, the sudden increase in brightness assisting but he was still able to make out Weiss' figure set foot outside the aircraft and walk towards another figure. Jackson reluctantly started following her, and quickly exited the Bullhead as well. As soon as he did, the cabin door behind him closed, and the aircraft set off once more, keeping to his tight schedule. Before long, Jackson's eyes had finally adjusted to the brightness, and what he saw caused his jaw to go slack.

They currently stood atop the Schnee Manor, which provided an excellent view of the surrounding area, as well as the skyline of Atlas. From all four sides, there was nothing but rolling hills, covered in powdery snow that blew the upper layer across the landscape. Jackson also found out that the Schnee Manor resided close to the wall surrounding Atlas, but with enough room that it didn't hinder the view. He was able to bring himself back down to Remnant, and focused on what lied ahead of him, which was Weiss and another person, a slightly overweight balding man, sporting a bushy mustache, also wrapped up in a few layers. By the time he noticed, Jackson had already begun to acclimate to the howling winds and the biting cold to go along with it, the hoodie helping him adjust. Walking over to the pair, he could hear the snow crunch under his boot as he neared them.

Once he arrived to where the two stood, the man was the first to speak. "Welcome Mister Wesson." Before Jackson could ask, he quickly added, "Ms. Schnee here has told me a bit about you, and why you are here. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Klein Sieben, an assistant, as I like to call it, of the Schnee family." Then, something peculiar happened. As soon as the man finished speaking, he blinked and his eyes had changed from the hazel color they were prior, to a bright yellow color, and he broke out into a toothy-grin. "I'm also her favorite, but you'll never get her to admit it in front of the other staff members."

Weiss smiled and playfully smacked him on the arm. "Klein!" Weiss exclaimed.

This caused Klein to let out a hearty laugh. "Haha, what? You know it's true!"

"Be that as it may, you shouldn't be saying it out in the open." Weiss leaned in closer. "Someone might hear you," she whispered.

"Very true, Ms. Schnee," Klein agreed, still chuckling. "We've stood out in the snow for long enough, don't you think? Come, come!" He gestured over to the nearby elevator, which promptly opened up. "It's much warmer inside."

Weiss and Jackson put up no argument against that; Jackson only had a thin hoodie and Weiss felt a bit immobile in the coat. Quickly herding into the elevator cabin, the door closed quickly behind them, and the atmosphere immediately began to warm up as Klein promised. Jackson let out a content sigh as he began to warm up. By Atlas standards, what he experienced was nowhere near the freezing cold temperatures the icy continent usually dished out. Then again, it was well into springtime, which usually meant more hail and sleet than blizzards.

Klein decided to break the silence and speak to Jackson, rather than stand around and listen to elevator music. "You know Mister Wesson, I would suggest mentally preparing yourself now, while you still have the chance. If what Ms. Schnee said was even half-true, this may be the last chance you have to make any such preparations."

Jackson turned his head toward Klein, curiosity getting the better of him. "What exactly did Weiss tell you about my being here?" He asked.

"She did not go into detail, but she told me enough to get an idea of just how much this could mean to the Mistress."

Jackson looked back at Weiss with an eyebrow raised, who shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "It felt fitting that he should know the reason you were here…and what you mean to us."

The latter part of the sentence emotionally struck Jackson, but he made an effort not to show it, and quickly shrugged it off. "Yeah well, I would appreciate it if I was given the opportunity to know said person before you or I go about telling my backstory." He turns back towards Klein. "I don't mean any offense by it, it's just a rather touchy subject to go into, especially with those I've just been acquainted with."

"Understandable," Klein responded. "I won't hold anything against that. Regardless, we've arrived." As if on cue, the elevator let out an audible _ding!_ as it came to a stop. "It would seem you time is growing near, Mister Wesson. Miss Schnee, I can relieve you of your coat as it is no longer necessary." Weiss smiled and took off the coat she wore, Klein relieving it from her grasp.

"Thank you Klein," Weiss happily said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must go find my mother." Before exiting the elevator, Weiss looked back at Jackson one last time. "And I suggest taking the time to do as Klein says and prepare yourself." Before he could say anything, the elevator door opened, and Weiss exited, quickly walking down the hall to find her mother.

Klein was next to exit. "If you would follow me Mister Wesson," Klein started, "I shall lead you into a room nearby to wait for Miss Schnee's return with her mother. I can assure you it's far more comfortable than the rigid seats upon the Bullhead."

Jackson chuckled. "I can't argue with you there. Lead the way." Before long, they both made their way through the Manor, in search of the room Klein spoke of.

On the way, Jackson got to witness just exactly the life Weiss lived in Atlas. Long marble hallways, decorated with portraits of various family members, expensive art and statues were everywhere within the Manor. One of these pieces of art alone probably costs more than what he has in his Lien account. Large windows covered the walls, allowing for constant view of the outside, and allowing light to pour into what would otherwise have been the setting of a haunted mansion. As he was led by Klein, other people milled about the halls, most of them staff based off of the uniform they share with Klein, as well as the occasional security guard. Speaking of, every guard he passed gave him a suspicious glare as he came near. If it weren't for the fact that Klein was leading him and not reacting any differently than what he suspects is normal, they all most likely would have converged on him by now and either send him back by Bullhead, or turn him in to the authorities. Thankfully, Klein seemed to have stopped in front of a door, promptly opening it soon after stopping.

"Right this way, Mister Wesson," Klein stated. Jackson simply nodded and walked in, out of the sight of the guards and relieving some of the tension he felt. Walking into the room, he was stopped by what he saw inside.

The room he stepped into seemed to be some sort of personal space for the family, or more likely the parents. Bookshelves upon bookshelves covered three of the four walls, filled to the brim with a variety of novels. The one wall free of books had a fireplace installed in, a lively fire already crackling within. Taking up the center floor, there were two leather seats, a leather sofa opposite of them, and a well-decorated coffee table in between them. The coffee table was made of a high-end wood, most likely Mahogany, possibly even Bubinga. There was a carpet placed under the coffee table, with an intricate design sewn into it. Overall, the room had a cozy atmosphere to it, the kind where two friends could relax with a nice beverage and stories to tell each other.

"Please, take a seat Mister Wesson," Klein said. "I'll be back with beverages. Coffee?"

Jackson shook his head. "I don't drink coffee. A glass of water is just fine." Klein simply nodded and left the room, set on bringing beverages. All that now remained was Jackson and his own thoughts, the crackling of the fire the only thing relieving him of utter silence. Jackson didn't feel like it was appropriate to rummage through the books available to him, so he sat, and pondered for a while. In all honesty, Jackson never could have thought he would be this close to meeting Miss Schnee, this soon after the disaster. But no, Fate seemed to have different plans for him. This whole ordeal feels unreal, something he never could have conjured up within his lifetime, especially with the series of (somewhat unfortunate) events regarding team RWBY.

' _So, this is really happening, isn't it?'_

' _ **You bet your ass it is.'**_

' _Jesus, of all the times you decide to show up, right now just happened to fit your schedule?'_

' _ **Listen, there's no way in Hell I'm gonna miss this. This is probably the most squeamish I've seen you since the random celebrity moments you have back at the halls of Beacon.'**_

' _Well, you're not really helping me out at the moment.'_

' _ **I never intended to, I just want to see how awkward you get when it happens.'**_

' _God, how I wish I could get you out of my head, you've been nothing but a goddamn nuisance ever since you appeared out of thin air.'_

' _ **Shut up, you love me. Anyways, Klein is coming back in a few seconds with drinks, so I'll leave you to it.'**_

' _What are you even talking abo-'_

The door to the room Jackson was currently in opened up to reveal Klein with a tray, holding a single glass of water. "Your water, Mister Wesson," he politely stated.

Jackson's eyes widened, as he began to look around the room. ' _What the-? How did you know he was going to-'_

"Mister Wesson?" Klein asked aloud, catching his attention once more. "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, uh, it's nothing," Jackson lied. "I thought I saw a fly buzz around in here."

Klein didn't seem entirely convinced by his answer, but he nodded nonetheless. "Regardless, again, your water. Apologies for taking longer than usual for getting it."

"Klein, I am on no grounds to complain about the time it took," Jackson dismissed. "The fact that you brought me something as simple as a glass of water is enough for me to give my thanks." He gratefully took the glass and took a gulp, his mouth suddenly feeling dry.

"You're too kind," Klein stated modestly.

"Not kind enough," Jackson said. "Having an assistant is a wonderful luxury to have, though I'm not sure how comfortable I'd feel having one of my own to do something as trivial as fetching me a beverage. Believe me, I'd start feeling lethargic before the day is even over."

Klein let out a small chuckle. "Thank you, Mister Wesson. Miss Schnee should be arriving any moment now, with her mother in tow."

As soon as Jackson heard that from him, his stomach started to do flips. The happy atmosphere that once permeated the room had dissipated, anxiety and uncertainty left to fill the void. Of all the times this could have happened, the four hours he spent aboard the Bullhead, he was unlucky enough to have his second thoughts to appear mere moments before the moment of truth. His breathing slightly increased in heaviness and speed. He went about this moment just fine on the ride over here! Unknowingly, he began to pace back and forth, sipping his water, in an attempt to calm himself down, and to figure out what he was going to do when Weiss' mother stepped through the very door Jackson was watching with a keen eye, out of fear rather than excitement. Before he could even begin to open his mouth in an attempt to calm himself down, the doorknob jiggled, causing him to go stiff as a board. Before long, the door swung open, and three figures came into his view.

One of them was Weiss, with excitement and uncertainty, both in equal proportions, plastered across her face. The other one was a male, surprisingly. He kept his hair well-done and short, most of it pushed to the left, wearing a short-sleeved white dress shirt, a tie, and a blue vest over it, sporting navy blue trousers and black dress shoes. He's surprisingly tall, but quite slender. It was obvious that he was Weiss' brother, or possibly cousin, but he couldn't determine if he was younger or older than Weiss. Jackson knew of Winter, Weiss' older sister, but she never mentioned a brother. Hell, Jackson could joke that if the boy were to wear a matching tuxedo jacket, and erase all his facial features, he could very well be the son of Slenderman. There was an air about him that screamed snooty, something that Jackson felt he would struggle with in the coming days.

And then, of course, there was Viktoria Schnee, Weiss' mother. If Weiss' description of Winter was anything to go by, he could safely say that Winter was a carbon-copy of her mother, the only differences being that the bun was located farther down the back of her head, and her hair was pulled to the left, instead of to the right, how Winter had it. He could clearly see some bags under her eyes, as well as wrinkles due to humanity's aging process. Her attire was even strikingly similar to that of Winter's current one, which brings up questions about Winter's relationship with her mother. Regardless, that wasn't what caught his attention the most, it was the glass of alcohol she held in her right hand, and how her eyes seemed a bit glossed over.

Viktoria was the first to break the silence that had gone on for a moment of two. "Weiss, honey, who is this?" She asked. She sounded a bit annoyed, probably due to being dragged here, but also curious at the guest in her house.

"Don't-Don't you remember him, mother?" Weiss asked, her voice wavering a bit, though not enough for anyone but herself to notice.

Viktoria squinted her eyes in an attempt to remember. "Actually, now that you've brought it up, he does strike me as familiar, though I'm not quite sure from where…" She stuck out her free hand for him to take. "Hello there, young man."

Jackson still remained frozen, petrified and sweating bullets. He still held the glass in his hands with a grip so strong, it was a miracle it didn't shatter in his eyes managed over to where Weiss stood, who began to frantically urge him to continue to conversation with an aggressive hand gesture and a raise of her eyebrows. The boy, on the other hand, rolled his eyes and let out a quiet sigh.

"Weiss, why exactly did you bring mother here to meet him?" He asked. "He can't even so much as accept her hand."

"Be quiet, Whitley!" Weiss silently exclaimed.

' _Huh, so Whitley's his name,'_ Jackson thought. Once that particular thought was done, he realized that Viktoria was still holding her hand out, now growing a bit impatient. Hesitantly, he took her hand and gave it a shake. "U-uhm, hello, M-Miss Schnee," Jackson meekly said. "A-Also, you're right in thinking we've met before."

"Oh I am, am I?" She questioned. "And where would that be from?"

Now came the difficult part. "Well, that's the thing," Jackson started. "It's rather, how do I put it…? Here." He reached into his pocket to pull out the cube that held the video of Weiss' and Jackson's first meeting. "This should explain everything." His finger hovered over the button… but something stopped him from pushing it. No matter how he tried, the finger wouldn't listen to him, intent on staying right where it was.

"Well?" Viktoria pressed. "Do you wish to show me what the cube contains, or are you going to keep me waiting?"

"I…" Jackson said. The hand holding the cube began to shake. "I, can't do it." He looked over to where Weiss stood. "You do it." Before she could even protest, Jackson had already tossed the cube towards her, forcing her to outstretch her arms to catch it and prevent it from breaking. Looking back up, she saw Jackson quickly walk away from them, towards the fireplace, placing his glass of water on the coffee table as he passed it. Without uttering a word, he leaned on the side of the fireplace, the fire light casting a shadow on the wall behind him. Cursing under her breath, Weiss walked over to face her mother, cube in hand. Now she began to feel the uncertainty, though not nearly as much as Jackson. She could get a faint idea of the emotions Jackson felt, going three years without confronting someone who thought he was dead for all that time; after all, it's already happened with her. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the button, the cube finally displaying the video, something that's sure to jog Viktoria's memory.

As the video began, Weiss' mother was more confused than anything else, only showing the bottom half of a woman, not knowing said-woman was her past self. And it wasn't until she sidestepped to the right, revealing Young Weiss on-screen did Viktoria's grip slip from her glass, shattering on the floor and spilling what remained of the alcohol within it. Everything began to come back to her, the memories of recording that video, the village, the people, Melissa and Michael-

Jackson.

Viktoria's eyes widened in realization, far before the projection had ended. Tears began to well in her eyes, bottom lip quivering and hands beginning to tremble as she slowly turned around to face Jackson, who stood staring at her with his own set of emotions showing, though it was more towards uncertainty and slight fear towards her reaction. Quickly, she made her way over to where Jackson leaned against the fireplace as he pushed himself off of it, standing on the balls of his heels. His above average height caused him to look down at Viktoria, but that didn't keep him from shrinking under her intense stare, blurred by the brimming tears.

She quickly turned around to face Weiss with the same intensity. "Weiss," Viktoria whispered, "Should I come to the conclusion that this is a cruel and twisted joke, so help me I will-"

Viktoria felt a hand gently grasp her shoulder, turning her back around towards Jackson, who had a smile planted on his face. "Miss Schnee, I can assure you that it no trick your daughter conjured up. It's really me, Jackson Wesson. Even after all these years, I'm still walking on my own two feet."

Viktoria brought a hand up to cover her mouth, her breath beginning to waver as she processed who stood before her, someone she thought she lost, along with the others that lived beside him. Faster than Jackson could react, Viktoria slammed against him, wrapping her arms around his upper body, crying into his shoulder. "It's you," she whispered, her voice shaky. "It's really you, you're really here."

Even though he expected this, Jackson was taken by surprise at how quickly she embraced him upon remembering him. But it didn't matter the amount of time he expected Miss Schnee to remember, she did now, and Jackson began to feel… content, as emotions began to well up inside him as well. He gratefully returned the hug, not so tight as Yang's to cut off her breathing, but firm enough to show he really meant the gesture. His shoulder was now wet from her tears soaking into his hoodie, but some of his own tears began to escape as well, though he still restrained himself somewhat from releasing the full extent of the waterworks.

As Viktoria and Jackson shared their touching moment with each other, Weiss and Klein shared a smile at the joyous reunion, even Weiss got a bit teary-eyed at her mother's reaction. Whitley, on the other hand, was acting aloof. He seemed genuinely surprised to see his mother embrace with a complete stranger, a stranger to him at least. He was also a bit… angry? He balled his hands into fists, and the edge of his lips were slightly tugged downwards, his brows furrowing. Soon after, he swiftly exited the room, his footsteps echoing off the walls of the empty hallways. Weiss was curious as to why Whitley left so early, but didn't dwell in it any further as her mother broke the hug, eyes red and puffy, but they were tears of joy, not those of sadness.

"B-But how?" Viktoria asked. "How are you still here after three years?"

Jackson sniffled, tears still brimming as he let out a chuckle. "*sniff*, Heh, you should know by now that I was always a stubborn child, Miss Schnee, whether it be a temporary physical handicap, or refusing to budge on an argument."

Viktoria nodded, silently chuckling. "On the rare occasions you two fought, Weiss would swear she had a migraine because of you." Weiss let a chuckle slip from her, recalling the less-than-satisfactory, but fond nonetheless, memories of her past.

The three chuckled for a moment, before it died down and Viktoria took a more serious tone, asking the question, or rather, series of questions \ that Jackson knew was bound to surface, but still feared to hear. "What happened, Jackson? What happened to your family? Where did you go? How did you find Weiss? Why didn't you reach out to us?"

Jackson wouldn't have a problem with explaining how everything had gone, if it weren't for the fact that that Jackson and Weiss' reunion went _very_ poorly, and now there were two instances where Jackson had attempted to kill her, and now his own, friends, coming close to killing at least one in both events.

Man, he had a _long_ story ahead of him, but he would spare no detail, as she deserved to know it all, minus the 'incidents', he might refrain from telling that to her, but he wasn't certain as of yet. "I'll tell you everything," Jackson said, "but it would be better if we took a seat. There's quite a lot to explain." Viktoria nodded as she made her way to the sofa, sitting down and attentive. Weiss proceeded to do the same, sitting down next to her mother, in case she's needed to clarify anything that calls for it. Jackson decided to sit across from them in one of the leather chairs, so he could face the two of them.

Meanwhile, Klein decided to cater to the group. "I'll bring more refreshments," he said, before promptly exiting the room to quench their thirsts. As he left, the three began to settle into their seats, Viktoria took control of the situation.

"Jackson, I want to know everything that's happened from since the last time we saw you in person, up to this moment. Spare no detail in what occurred between then and now." There was a slew of emotions etched onto her face as she spoke: Relief, concern, longing, among others.

' _*mental sigh*, If she wants no detail spared, then I'm glad Weiss is here to help me out on the rough patches of what happened.'_

Klein quickly reappeared with tray in hand, holding two steaming cups of coffee, and a pitcher of water to refill his glass that he set on the table. Gratefully, Jackson took hold of the pitcher and refilled his glass, placing the pitcher back on the tray Klein set down on the table. Klein moved towards the other open chair and sat down, neither of the three objecting to his interest in the story. Out of the entire Manor, Viktoria and Weiss were the two people that appreciated him the most, so they had no issues on him being here. Jackson already knew that Klein knew of his importance being here, and the connection he has to the Schnee family, however vague it may be, so Jackson went along with it as well.

Jackson took a long sip of the refreshing clear liquid, and let out a sigh of contentment, now feeling refreshed. "Alright, no time like the present, I suppose," Jackson said. "Miss Schnee, since you want to know everything that occurred since our last meeting, I'll start from the very beginning. All that I ask is that you give me time to collect myself, should I struggle to keep my composure for an extended period when telling you all of it. Weiss, I wish to ask you for support on clarification, or a different viewpoint should the situation call for it." Weiss silently nodded, agreeing to assist him if need be. As far as Jackson knew, Viktoria wasn't aware of the current gap between him and Weiss, and he did not wish to make it known to her, for the sake of preventing her from intervening. Weiss also thought of the same thing, and prevented that knowledge from being known to her mother.

"Alright, if there were any place to begin, it would be my birthday party." Taking a deep breath, he began. "Miss Schnee, I know you have your own memories of that event, but allow me to show you what transpired through my point of view…"

…

AN: **And that's the chapter! Firstly, I'd like to apologize for taking longer than usually expected to get this chapter out, but semester finals took a toll on the free time I had to write this. Secondly, I want to point something out for Jackson, nothing that'll have any significant effect on the story or him, just so that none of you get confused.**

 **As you already know, I have this ability to communicate with Jackson through his mind, and his mind alone. Because of that, it's made him seem like he's aware of being in a fictitious story, like Deadpool. And don't get me wrong, the stuff I've written for our conversations are completely my fault. Now, I'm gonna do something different. Instead of making him** _ **aware**_ **, any convos I have with him in the story will be so that he thinks it's part of his partial sadistic insanity, as a way to capitalize on his mental instability, not a connection between author and OC. I'll be sure to edit the conversations in the chapters prior to this one, but as of this chapter, the voice in his head (that being me) will be nothing more than a voice in his head, a side-effect he suspects to have come from the traumatizing events he experienced.**

 **Also, DP Jackson isn't just a simple voice in his head, the actions he's taken prove that, he's quite a bit more than that…**

 **Anyways, Follow, Favorite, Review, and I will see you all in the next chapter, hopefully on time the next time around, but we'll see.**

 **See ya!**


	17. Jackson's Atlas Adventure: Part Two

AN: **Hey everyone, welcome back to Dead Man Walking! Now, I want to get this out of the way now, there's some new stuff going on in my life that might cause me to take longer to get these chapters out. It's nothing to be concerned of, just some extra online classes. Shoutout to xxbadgermanxx, elpresandrewjohnson, NyxStardust, akityro, RightHandOfPalpatine, fireflame789, DragonLord501st, LightGuard, and Troop504 for Following/Favoriting the story, let's begin!**

…

 _Schnee Manor_

 _5:04 pm_

And so, they spoke of everything, from their first encounter, to their battles during the Breach, as well as the aftermath (minus a few _crucial_ details), up to when Jackson arrived to the Manor. It took nearly half an hour to recall the events in vivid detail, as Viktoria wanted. As Jackson and Weiss recalled the events, Viktoria was captivated and eager to hear it all. Her face was a roller coaster of emotions throughout the entire recalling of events as it ranged from emotions like relief, excitement, and awe, while emotions from the opposite end of the spectrum would also rear their ugly heads to show, such as anger, sadness, and contempt. Klein seemed to be just as engrossed in the story as Viktoria.

Soon enough, Jackson reached the end, stopping at the aftermath of the Breach, letting out a shaky breath. From there, the story ultimately led up to where they were now, so there was no point going any farther than that. Silence fell upon the room, as Weiss and Jackson sat idly, waiting for Viktoria's reaction. Soon enough, they got one.

"I…" Viktoria breathed, unsure what to say. "I'm… sorry, Jackson. I'm so sorry you had to suffer through all of that. If only I knew…"

"This isn't your fault," Jackson replied in a gentle tone. "If anything, it's mine. I had three years to reach out to you, yet not once did I ever dial in your personal Scroll number. That is, if you hadn't changed it over time."

Viktoria let out a small smile. "Why don't we find out? You still remember it, right?"

"How could I forget?" Pulling out his own scroll, Jackson pulled up the number pad, and while it's been years since he's ever dialed this specific number, he pressed each number in the correct order, as if he performed this meager task every day since acquiring a Scroll. Punching in the numbers, Jackson's finger hovered over the dial button, before lightly tapping it.

Jackson's Scroll silently rang, the group of four waiting for the call to patch through. As it continued to ring, Viktoria's Scroll had yet to make any sound to notify her of an incoming call. Jackson grew concerned that he might've mis-dialed, and was about to hang up, until the very ringing sound came from Viktoria, as the screen on her Scroll lit up, a number appearing on her screen. Jackson would always use his mother's Scroll to call Viktoria, either to figure out when their next arrival would be, or to simply chat with Weiss about trivial everyday things, such as school, cool things that happened that day, etc. As they grew older, the calls became less frequent, but the nostalgic sentiment of it didn't lessen in any aspect when he did call. While they became less frequent, the calls themselves actually came out to be longer, as they had more to speak of, and their conversations got more intimate. But the calls cut off abruptly…

As Viktoria stared at the screen, tears began to resurface, and she could have sworn she had emptied out her tear ducts. She looked up to Jackson, who had a warm smile on his face.

"If it makes you feel any better," Jackson said, "You and Weiss were always in my thoughts, and not once did they leave my mind."

The statement seemed to have hit something within Weiss, but Viktoria seemed more affected, as she stood up and made her way over to Jackson to hug him. "Now I know you're just trying to make me cry."

Jackson laughed aloud as he stood up and returned the hug. It seems he's been made. "I really missed you guys," he whispered to her. It caused Viktoria to tighten her hug on Jackson.

"Damn it Jackson…" Viktoria muttered as her tears broke free once more. Jackson stood there, serving as support for the older woman as she released three years worth of emotions again.

He was still the same young boy she remembered.

Eventually, Viktoria regained control of her emotions, albeit a few sniffles here and there would escape her. "*sniff*, Why don't we get a guest room suited for you?"

Jackson smiled. "I would like nothing more, Miss Schnee."

"Then it's settled," Viktoria stated, as she turned towards Klein. "Klein, would you be so kind as to clean up the mess I've made? My apologies."

"Think nothing of it, Miss Schnee," Klein dismissed. "I shall get on it forthwith." Picking up the tray and empty glasses, Klein quickly exited the room to fetch a broom and a dustpan. Viktoria and the two teenagers followed suit soon after.

As they walked through the Manor, Jackson began to gawk at the building around them, as well as the statues and pieces of art to accompany it.

' _Jesus, how am I ever going to find my way around this place?'_ Jackson wondered. ' _This place feels as big as my village, maybe even bigger…'_ Of course, this couldn't be true. The village he lived in covered such a large surface area, a building meant for one family couldn't possibly match that.

Right?

Regardless, he ogled at the Manor again, still not quite able to wrap his head around it, which is understandable. It seems like one room alone is as big as his own house. The group made their way to what appeared to be the main entrance into the Manor, if the large wooden double doors leading outside were anything to go by. Opposite of the door, there was a very wide staircase leading up to the second floor, the kind one would see in fairy tales, as the princess makes her grand appearance. To add to the elegance, at each side of the set of stairs stood enormous statues of a set of armor, and a great sword to go along with it. It was very intimidating to look at. During their journey to his temporary sleeping quarters, anytime he wasn't stuck staring at the house, Jackson would notice the occasional security guard posted, though there weren't many within the house, only a handful at a time. Most of the personnel that weren't designated staff were stationed outside, it seems.

' _Poor Weiss,'_ Jackson thought. ' _All this money, all this influence at the tip of your fingers, but the dangers that came with it, thrown onto you at birth.'_

Jackson had quickly gotten over most of the major issues between him and Weiss that occurred before, he was never one to hold grudges for very long, let alone towards his best friend… but things didn't quite feel the same as they were prior to this. He didn't know how Weiss currently felt, but he felt some sort of tension when interacting with Weiss of his own free will. And he was at a loss at what to do about it. Yes, he's mostly, if not completely, accepted what happened, but he still didn't like it. Regardless, he would have to find out how to relieve the tension between them, otherwise this was going to be a _long_ stay.

When he returned from his thoughts, he found himself standing in front of a white door, Weiss and Viktoria standing idly by. He took that as his cue to act. Approaching the door, the grasped the doorknob and turned it, allowing the door to open inwards.

The "guest" room was a large and spacious area, with a king-size bed and a mountain of pillows at the head of it. There was a wardrobe, chairs, and a large rug at the center, with a window to the outside winter wonderland. Nearby, there was another door that lead to the bathroom, which had no right to simply be called a bathroom, just like his quarters had no right to be called a guest room. Inside, there was a high-end shower with glass walls and tile flooring, the enormous shower-head jutting out from the ceiling instead of the wall where the handle was located, with a large tub adjacent to it. And Jackson could swear that the shower doubled as a mini-sauna if he chose to do so. There was even a spot to sit in the shower if one wished for a sauna. While the sink seemed to be the only standard plumbing in the bathroom, that seemed to be the only standard thing in here. The wall that the sink was attached to was, simply put, one large mirror from where the sink ended to the ceiling. There were also windows in the bathroom allowing to see outside, which made for a surreal experience, looking outside to a place with frigid temperatures, while soaking in a tub of hot, bubbly water.

"You seem to like your living arrangements, if the look on your face is anything to go by," Viktoria chuckled, snapping Jackson out of his bathroom bliss, and scaring him in the process as he jumped a little. "If there's anything you need, please, do not hesitate to ask."

Jackson looked at her as he let out a breath in disbelief. "Miss Schnee, this will more than suit my needs. Honestly, I'm kind of tempted to ask for a downgrade; I'm kind of scared of even touching the shower handle, I feel like even touching it would cost me a fortune."

Weiss smiled, while Viktoria laughed out loud. "Honey, this is called a guest bedroom for a reason," she said.

"Which is has no right to be called!" Jackson exclaimed in a playful manner. "This bathroom alone probably costs more than a working man's annual salary!"

Viktoria continued to laugh at Jackson's (probably true) statement, and Weiss even chuckled a bit. "Yes, well, this wasn't originally my idea," Viktoria said. "All of this is the work of my husband, I _never_ could have conjured up a house like this."

"Speaking of, where is he?" Jackson asked. "I just realized, I've never met Weiss' father, nor the other kid, as a matter of fact. I know of Winter, though only barely, she tagged along with you two only once. Weiss' father never made an appearance with you two, and now there's a boy I never knew existed. Whitley, I think it was?"

"Ah yes, Whitley," Viktoria said. "He's the youngest of the three. He had never shown an interest in coming with us, and I didn't wish to drag him along with us if he wouldn't enjoy himself, so I decided to leave him be. As for my husband…" Viktoria's smile broke, but only for a moment, before coming back full-force. "He's a very busy man, what with running the largest Dust company in the world and all that. But you'll get to meet him soon enough, whether on accident or a proper introduction. Now then, would you like to unpack your things and get suited to your living arrangements, or what would you like to do?"

Jackson was tempted to stay here and unpack, he was dying to flop down on the bed and be whisked away into Dreamland. However, he had a better idea. Tossing his large duffel bag onto the bed, he stretched his arms as he let out a sigh of contentment. "You know, after seeing just the bathroom, I'm really interested to see what the Manor holds within. If it wouldn't be too much of a hassle, a quick tour of the Manor would be greatly appreciated. Plus, it would help me a lot to remember how to get around here. Without you two to guide me, I would've been lost the moment I set foot out of the elevator to the roof."

"Of course Jackson," Viktoria said. "I would love to. Where would you like to go first?"

"Hmmm," he pondered. "Do you happen to have any recreational rooms in here?"

"We do!" Viktoria exclaimed. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you exactly where you want to go." Without another word, Viktoria exited the guest room, Jackson following close behind, excited to see what kind of activities are available.

…

Their first stop brought them to yet another set of double doors, though not nearly as big as the ones shown at the main entrance, a giddy Viktoria standing by. Never in Jackson's life has he ever seen Viktoria act this way, even when he was still around. Even Weiss was a bit taken aback by the way her mother was acting. She didn't know whether to be happy, or concerned by the way she was acting.

"Are you ready?" Viktoria asked Jackson.

He shrugged as he smiled. "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose."

Viktoria lightly clasped her hands together. "Alright, here we go!" Turning towards the door, she pushed the doors open, allowing them to swing open and reveal what was within. Inside, there was one large room with an assortment of exercising equipment, with the center floor cleared out. Lat machines, bench presses, squat racks, dumbbells, treadmills, all sorts of equipment of varying uses was available for the Schnees, and now Jackson temporarily, to use at their discretion. At the center, there lied a large padded mat, meant for sparring between two opponents, with room for ranged attacks, something Jackson knows Weiss utilizes if and when she ever spars in here. A loud thumping could be heard to the left of the room, and following the source of the noise, the trio found a burly man going at it with a punching bag, each hit resulting in a muffled _THUMP,_ the punching bag absorbing most of the force rather than being flung backwards. After landing a few more hits, the man finally lifted his attack on the poor punching bag, and took notice of the new people in the room.

Viktoria took that as her cue. "Come along, Jackson!" She said, before speed walking off towards the man, leaving him no choice but to follow. As the two neared, the man straightened up, and stood in place in a military-like fashion.

"Miss Schnee," The man said in a very deep voice, as well as a very thick accent that Jackson couldn't make out. "What brings you to the recreation room? You do not have your exercise wear on currently."

Viktoria turned towards Jackson. "Jackson, this is Sergei Krasnyy," she said. "He is our personal trainer, not only in exercise, but in nearly every aspect of combat, ranging from use of a variety of firearms, to close quarters combat, whether it be hand-to-hand or melee. Sergei, this is Jackson Wesson, a family friend."

Sergei, while built as a mountain, was not much in terms of height, at least compared to Jackson. He stood at 5'10", with a bushy beard and wearing red everything. Red fighting gloves, red gym shorts, and red track shoes; the only piece of clothing he wore that wasn't red, however, was the black undershirt he wore, showing off his muscled arms in all its glory.

Sergei extended his hand, which Jackson easily took. However, his grip was one of iron, he realized, as they shook hands. Once they let go, Jackson seemed to have lost motor function in his right hand for a moment.

"Pleasure to meet you Sergei," Jackson greeted, absentmindedly rubbing his hand.

"Likewise," Sergei responded. "You seem to have the physique, are you a fighter?"

"In a way," Jackson responded. "I'm a Huntsman-in-training, I attend Beacon Academy alongside Weiss. I take it, you're ex-military?"

"Da," he responded. "Atlas Special Forces, Weapons Specialist. Hand-to-hand was something I explored before enlisting, when I was younger and more able-bodied."

"How come you're no longer enlisted?" Jackson asked.

"A mission gone awry resulted in the loss of my right lung," Sergei explained. "Without that other lung supplying oxygen to my body, I was unable to operate at the same capacity I was capable of before. Because of it, I was unable to fulfill my duties as a Special Forces unit in an efficient manner. I was released with an honorable discharge, and a broken spirit. Thankfully, the Schnees gave me a second chance, not to directly make a difference, but by training others to.

"When Winter expressed her interest in becoming a Huntress, and possibly Atlas Special Forces, I made it my duty to teach her everything she would need to know to combat any and every situation given to her in a quick and efficient manner, as any Atlesian soldier should. We tested her compatibility with almost every sword, axe, and firearm to find her niche. After countless hours of experimentation, we finally found what suited her fighting style. Once she graduated from the Huntsmen Academy here in Atlas, her performance caught the eye of the Headmaster, who happened to be General Ironwood. Once given a letter of recommendation from yours truly, she given an opportunity to prove herself on the battlefield, and years later, she is now part of the Special Forces unit."

Sergei cracked a smile. "I could not have been happier for the young Schnee. That devushka impressed Ironwood during her opportunity, and after learning that she was taught by me, was more than willing to accept her. Not long after, the even younger Schnee expressed her interest in becoming a Huntress as well, though not here. She wished to journey outwards towards Vale, something I hold no grudge against, though his father cannot be said the same for. Hehe, regardless, I was happy to assist her in training for attending Beacon. Of course, her training regimen was not nearly as strenuous as her older sister, and I did not teach her as much; otherwise, I would be doing the professors' jobs for them. Speaking of, how goes your time at Beacon, Miss Schnee?"

"Things are going smoothly," Weiss easily replied. "However, some things have gone quite a bit… wayward than expected, but I've begun to adjust to it, as well as take into consideration, the unpredictability the world has to offer."

"Hm, that's good," Sergei said. "Always expect the unexpected. No one can prepare you for what the world has in store, all we can do is attempt to know what the world plans for us and prepare." He turned to Jackson soon after. "As for you, would you care for a quick sparring match?"

Jackson shook his head with a smile. "No sir, at least, not right now. Miss Schnee is showing me around the Manor, and I'd like to get adjusted to my new sleeping quarters before I partake in what their home has to offer. Besides, I'm not necessarily in clothing that allows for free movement." He gestured to his pants and combat boots, something Sergei took note of. "But I will more than gladly come back either sometime later today, or tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I've been meaning to play around with my new weapon, get a feel for a fighting style to properly utilize it."

Sergei's face lit up at the mention of that. "By all means, come in whenever you please. I would be more than happy to assist you in finding your own little niche." He leaned in close to Jackson. "Between you and me, the spars around here begin to get boring when you've already beaten each security guard into the ground half a dozen times _each._ "

Jackson had to stifle a chuckle. "I'll take you up on that offer. With a man of your experience and background, I'll be able to find my fighting style in no time."

Sergei gave a quick nod before taking a step back. "It was a pleasure to meet you Jackson. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to my exercise routine." And with that, he turned around and walked back to the punching bag he was assaulting before. The trio took that as their cue to exit the training room, and begin moving on to what else the Manor had to offer.

…

As if Jackson hasn't thought it before, the Schnee Manor is _big._ That, or they have somehow managed to make the inside bigger than what is originally seen upon setting eyes on the building. And the Olympic swimming pool in front of him has done nothing but push his mind towards the latter.

The entire room was empty, save for the three Manor-wanderers that simply stood at the entrance, deafened by the silence and calmed by the stillness of the water. Each one could hear their own heartbeats as they stared at the room, Viktoria and Weiss waiting on a response from Jackson, while he himself seemed to blank out at the sight of the body of water inside their home. When he did speak, it caused the two Schnees to jump at the suddenness of his deep voice.

"How big is this house?" Under normal circumstances, most would see this as rhetorical. However, the tone in his voice suggested that it was a genuine question.

"Very," Viktoria responded. "Though I'll admit, a very good portion of it is used to accommodate the staff that work here. Security, servants, chefs, trainers and instructors, we even have a lifeguard here, just for precautionary measures. Truth be told, we don't make much use of the pool, though it is cleaned and maintained regularly. Do you see yourself spending time here Jackson, alongside the training room? It'd be nice for this room to see some use from someone, if semi-regularly."

"If you have a pair of floaties you can lend me, I'll be more than happy to swim in this," Jackson responded. Viktoria burst out laughing at Jackson's little joke, Weiss even let out a small chuckle.

"If it comes down to it, I'm sure I can find a pair for you to use." Viktoria said with a goofy smile. "And… that's it, really. Aside from what I've shown you, there's a garden, and other things here and there, but those three are what would be of biggest interest to you." Viktoria absentmindedly looked at her Scroll due to a force of habit, but her eyes shot wide open as she looked at the time. "Oh my!" She exclaimed. "It's 5:42, dinner is about to begin!" Before Jackson could ask, Viktoria dashed out of the pool room and went off down the hall. "Come along, we're going to be late!"

Jackson nor Weiss made an effort to protest, as she was already out of earshot for any attempt to be made, and simply followed to figure out where she was headed. That was more of Jackson's train of thought, as Weiss already knew full well where she was headed.

…

After following Viktoria for about three minutes, they finally caught up with her as she stopped in what seemed to be a large dining hall, with a table already set neatly. Plates, napkins, and silverware were arranged in a manner that made Jackson feel under-dressed just for eating. Nearby, he could hear the clatter of spoons, knives, pots and pans as the chefs prepared dinner. He was tempted to excuse himself from dinner, but he had a feeling Viktoria would protest vigorously about it. Reluctantly, Jackson took a deep breath, and fully entered the room from where he stood at the doorway, and walked towards Viktoria.

Viktoria heard the heavy footsteps behind her, and turned around to see Jackson walking towards her. "Ah, there you are!" Viktoria said. "Weiss arrived earlier than you, but she had to go powder her nose. I hadn't seen you alongside her when she entered."

"Yeah, well," Jackson said, rubbing the back of his head. "I was a bit hesitant to enter the dining room, because, well…"

"Because what?" Viktoria inquired. "Come on, spit it out Jackson."

After a few passing moments, Jackson finally spoke. "…I'm starting to feel like I don't belong," he admitted.

"What?" Viktoria said aloud. "Why would you say that?"

"Well." Jackson gestured to himself, and to the room around him, as well as its current occupants, excluding him, of course. Viktoria finally began to see the stark contrast between him and everything else. His clothing was the polar opposite, in terms of color and fashion choice. The Schnees wore heels and dress shoes, Jackson wore combat boots; They wore three-piece suits and dresses, Jackson wore slim-fit pants and a hoodie; Their clothing was white, with shades of blue to compliment it, Jackson wore pure black. Of course, there was also the difference in skin color, but that wasn't what concerned Jackson.

"I don't exactly fit into the picture," Jackson said. "None of my clothing fits into the fashion criteria that's been set around here."

"If you feel out of place, just use the suit you brought along," Viktoria nonchalantly said.

"I'm sorry, suit?" Jackson asked. "I didn't bring a suit."

"What?!" Viktoria exclaimed. "You don't plan on attending the charity event like that, do you?"

" _Charity event?_ " Jackson asked furthermore. "What charity event? Miss Schnee, everything you've told me, thus far, has been nothing but confusion for information I supposedly should have known beforehand."

Viktoria was about to speak, but as she opened her mouth, she stopped herself and began to think. "…Did Weiss tell you?" She asked.

"Tell me what…?" Jackson slowly asked. "Should I be concerned?"

Viktoria simply sighed. "No, it's nothing to be worried about, but you will have to get your hands on a suit sooner or later, though sooner would be better."

"I take it this has to with the charity event you mentioned?" Jackson deduced.

"Indeed," she confirmed. "Every year, the Schnee Dust Company holds an annual charity event in the garden outside, to almost every different type of organization. Orphanages, animal rights group, and I DO NOT mean the faunus by that, local schools and business, among others. We donate millions each year."

Jackson's spirits were lifted once he heard that. "Awe, that's very generous of you."

Much to Jackson's surprise, Viktoria scowled at the statement. "It _would_ be if it were out of the goodness of his heart."

Jackson was taken aback by that statement. "P-Pardon?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, Jacques doesn't do this to be generous. If anything, this is simply done to improve and maintain the Schnee family name and reputation."

"It's all for maintaining a reputation?" Jackson repeated, refusing to believe that. "He's donating millions of Lien to charity!"

"The Schnee Dust Company can stand to lose an extra few million each year Jackson," Viktoria dismissed. "Ever since the scandal with the faunus slave labor, and little to no wages, Jacques wanted to reassure the public we were not the cold and heartless people the media made us out to be. Sadly, that kind of slander stretches out to all of us, instead of just him. *sigh*, The Schnee name used to stand for something more than just Dust…"

"What do you mean?" Jackson asked.

"Before Jacques took over the company, my father, Nicholas Schnee led the company before," Viktoria explained. "It was nowhere near as big as what it is now, but what he did for the company is what put it on the map. Every expedition to find Dust veins, Nicholas led; throughout every Kingdom, he was praised and respected. As he continued the expeditions, so did the rise of his reputation.

"After years of leading the company, he began to slow down," Viktoria said. "He was aging, becoming weaker and weaker as time went on, and he began to miss his family, and vice versa. The expeditions he led would go on for months, some have even gone as far as an entire year. He was tired, he was homesick, it was beginning to become too much for him. Eventually, he handed the company off to Jacques, his son-in-law/my husband, who happened to be a prominent businessman before inheriting the company. With his experience, and the company's reputation, the company soared to new heights. And…well, here we are."

Jackson had yet to fully process the information that was given to him. For the longest time, Jackson had thought that Viktoria was the one who married into the name…

But aside from that, what shocked him was the fact that the SDC didn't donate simply for the cause, but for the betterment of the company. Regardless, the receivers gain a healthy amount of funding, so it isn't all bad. Plus, the SDC can't be the only company to deploy this kind of tactic.

Before he could dwell in it any further, the pair heard a door open, and turning towards the noise, they found Whitley, and another man. He wore a three piece suit, all white, a blue dress shirt and a red handkerchief in his left breast pocket. He had a white mustache and white combed-back hair. He was currently engrossed in a conversation with Whitley, when he finally looked away from the boy and took notice of Viktoria and Jackson.

Viktoria's attitude did a complete one-eighty, as she smiled sweetly and greeted the two. "Hello Whitley," Viktoria greeted. "Hello Jacques. How did the meeting proceed?"

"As would be expected from the likes of them," Jacques responded. While he may have responded, he didn't take his eyes off Jackson as he neared the two. Viktoria nudged Jackson forward, indicating she wanted him to introduce himself to Jacques.

Although it took more than one nudge for the message to get across, Jackson eventually took notice and stood a bit taller, attempting to make himself more presentable to him. At his full height, Jackson stood a bit taller than Jacques, about two inches at most. "Hello, you must be Jacques Schnee, Weiss' father," Jackson said, extending his hand. "It's nice to meet you."

Jacques looked at the hand with a face that screamed repugnance, before looking at Viktoria. "Dear, who is this, and what is he doing here?" He never even bothered to shake Jackson's hand, which he slowly brought back down, slightly discouraged.

"This," gesturing towards Jackson, "Is a friend of our daughter Weiss, Jackson Wesson."

"That answers half my question," Jacques said, "Now what is he doing here?"

"Weiss invited him here," Viktoria responded.

"She did _what_?" He asked indignantly.

"She invited him here," Viktoria repeated. "He's a longtime, and very good friend of hers, and the son of a good friend of mine."

"Then how come I haven't heard of this boy?" Jacques asked, wanting an answer.

"Because…" Viktoria struggled to speak the truth as to why Jacques had no knowing of Jackson, for obvious reasons. "Because, he didn't concern you, and held no relevance to you whatsoever."

"Didn't concern me?" Jacques exclaimed. "You very well could have brought a White Fang loyalist within the Manor!"

"This was before the White Fang turned aggressive!" Viktoria shot back. "He was in the village Weiss and I constantly visited years ago, while you were away on business trips."

"Impossible," Jacques said. "That village burned to the ground three years ago, and there were no recorded survivo-" Jacques suddenly stopped. "Wait a minute, you two left the Manor while I was away?" Throughout all of this, Whitley stood idly by, watching the debacle unfold.

Regardless, the color from Viktoria's face drained when she realized what she had brought to light. "I…" Viktoria started, but Jacques cut her off before she could continue.

"Do you have _any idea_ how dangerous that is?!" Jacques exclaimed. "And without supervision, I would assume? What could possibly drive you to do such an idiotic and reckless act?!"

"We needed to get out of the Manor!" Viktoria rebutted. "We've practically been suffocating within these walls! Why do you think Winter left to join the Atlas Special Forces? She didn't wish to be stuck with the title of heiress!"

"Winter made her choice," Jacques said lowly. "Weiss is now heiress to the company, and I don't intend to see her kidnapped because of her title, due to lack of supervision." He soon turned his attention to Jackson. "You need to leave."

"What?" Jackson and Viktoria said in unison. "Why must he leave?" It was Viktoria who asked the question.

"I don't know who he is, and I don't believe what you told me about him being from the village." Pushing a button on his personal Scroll, he sent out an alarm, and before long, two Atlesian guards walked into the room, in uniform and armed. "Gentlemen, would you kindly escort this man to the docking bay, and on a Bullhead back from wherever he came from?"

Without hesitation, the guards came up to Jackson, and gently, but sternly, placed a hand each on each one of his shoulders. However, it didn't quite have the same effect when you're taller than the men that are apprehending you. But Jackson made no effort to resist, it would only make things worse.

"Stand down!" Viktoria exclaimed. "He's no threat to us, or the company." Now the guards looked perplexed as to what to do, having received contradicting orders: one from the CEO, and one from the true-blood Schnee. The guards were assigned to overlook the safety and security of the Schnee family by Jacques, but Viktoria comes from the Schnee bloodline.

Jacques grabbed her arm roughly. "What are you doing?!" He demanded. "You're putting Weiss in danger!"

"Get your hands off me!" Viktoria said as she wrenched her arm from his grip. "You say it like you care for her, rather than the actual company itse-"

 _ **SMACK!**_

Viktoria's head snapped to the right as a stinging sensation erupted from her left cheek. As she slowly turned her head back, there was a look of shock on her face when she looked back at Jacques, who had his right arm crossing his torso, and a glare plastered on his face. Just in time too, as Weiss entered the room moments before it occurred, leaving her frozen in place.

"I've worked too hard to get this company where it is now," Jacques growled, bringing his arm back down to his side. "I am _not_ about to let it get run down to the ground because of this possible extremist."

Now the guards were at a crossroads. They had just witnessed their employer strike his wife, something neither of them would ever even consider doing against their own wives. What comes first, their duty, or their morals?

Viktoria seemed to be on the verge of tears, but she held her ground. "He is NOT an extremist, and he is staying here if he wishes to." Jacques seemed even more agitated, and was about to strike Viktoria once more,

If it weren't for the fact that something held his arm in place, and began twisting it at an odd angle, eliciting a groan of discomfort.

" _Don't. You._ _ **Dare**_ _._ " Jackson said.

When the Atlas guards snapped back to reality, they found where once Jackson stood to be empty, and noticed the same man with a grip on Jacques' wrist, slowly twisting his arm in a way it shouldn't bend. Immediately, both raised their weapons and aimed at Jackson, their fingers on the trigger, but no pressure put on it.

"Release Mr. Schnee immediately!" One of the guards barked. "Comply or we will use lethal force!"

When Jackson made no effort to release, the guards began to apply pressure to the trigger. "This is your final warning! Release Mr. Schnee at once!"

"*groan*, What are you imbeciles waiting for? SHOOT HIM!"

"NO!" Viktoria suddenly jumped in front of the guards, arms outstretched. "Stand down, you two!"

The guards immediately let pressure off the trigger, so as to not accidentally shoot Viktoria, but still kept their weapons aimed in Jackson's direction. "Ms. Schnee, step aside, this man is-"

"I SAID STAND DOWN DAMMIT!" The volume and ferocity in Viktoria's tone of voice shocked everyone who heard it, Jacques included. Reluctantly, both guards lowered their weapons, but stood alert, ready to act at a moment's notice.

Viktoria turned towards Jackson, worry etched on her face. "Jackson, what are you doing?" She asked.

"Defending you from this man," he responded coldly. He increased his grip on Jacques, as he realized Viktoria's outburst caused him to loosen his grip on him. Thankfully, Jacques hadn't noticed, otherwise he would have been able to escape his grasp relatively easily. "What does the SDC stand for, Mr. Schnee?"

"What the hell are you on about, boy?" Jacques grunted out. "Do you have the slightest clue who you're dealing with?"

"I am well aware of who I'm dealing with," Jackson easily replied, twisting Jacques' wrist farther out of place, now growing in discomfort. "Now answer the question. What does, the SDC, stand for?"

Jacques remained silent for a moment, before eventually responding. "The Schnee Dust Company," he grunted out. "Strong, Dependable, and Chivalrous."

"Exactly," Jackson responded. "Now answer me this: Where's the strength in the SDC, when you lay in a comfy office, ordering your employees through a speaker, when your predecessor _personally_ led each expedition for Dust to supply to the people, seeing each one through to the very end? How can I depend on the Schnee Dust Company, when I hear numerous scandals of faunus slave labor, and unfair wages for said faunus? How can the SDC claim to be chivalrous, when the head of the company finds it fine to strike his wife with ill-intent, in front of my own two eyes?"

"Hngh, what does it matter to a boy like you how I handle my personal life?" Jacques spat out, which resulted in further wrenching of his arm, discomfort now slowly turning into pain.

"It matters to me, because the woman you struck, _your wife_ , I have come to know as a second mother from my time in the village; an aunt, if you will. And I am _not_ about to stand by and allow you to assault her for speaking the truth."

"What truth?" Jacques asked. "No survivors came out of that village, and I don't believe you came from it. If anything, she's a liar to her own husband."

"Who, might I add, saw it fit to strike her to shut her up," Jackson hissed. "Ms. Schnee is not a liar, and you are in no way, shape, or form, what Nicholas Schnee was, or who should represent the SDC, based on your actions and what it stands for." Without breaking eye contact, Jackson used his free hand to rummage through his pocket to find his cube with all the proof he needs to show Jacques. Once he found it, he held it in front of Jacques' face before placing it in his other hand.

"I can respect you as a businessman, but as a human being, and a husband, I couldn't be more disgusted with what I see before me."

Jacques' pain seemed to disappear for a moment, enough for him to shoot a glare at Jackson. "How dare you-"

"How dare I what?" Jackson questioned. "Have the courage to stand up to a man such as yourself, for taking an action you shouldn't? You love this woman, for Christ's sake!" He suddenly leaned in close to Jacques, and whispered to him, low enough so that only Jacques could hear him speak.

" _Unless, you didn't marry her because of your love for her…"_

Jacques' eyes widened at the statement, as the fire in him was quickly snuffed out at the utter of a single sentence. Jackson released his grip on Jacques and began to make his way towards the nearest exit, which was where Weiss still stood.

"Jackson, where are you going?" Asked Viktoria.

"I've lost my appetite," Jackson curtly responded as he reached the doorway. As he passed Weiss, they made brief eye contact, and Jackson gave her a nod equally as brief, before entering the hallway and walking back to his room. Or however long it may be his room.

The moment Jackson walked out of the room, the two Atlas guards immediately pulled out their Scrolls to notify the others of what Jackson had gone. But before they could get a word out, Jacques saw what they were doing, and stopped them.

"No," he said. "Don't notify the others of what occurred here, and you two forget about apprehending him." He looked at the cube that was placed in his hand by Jackson. "I will personally deal with him accordingly, after I review what's on this device."

The Atlas guards nodded, and resumed their normal duties of patrolling the halls. Viktoria looked at Jacques, worry still etched on her face, and Weiss eventually walked up alongside her mother. As for Whitley, he was just as surprised at what happened, and he was even more surprised to find that Jacques didn't send the guards after him the moment Jackson released his father. As a matter of fact, he was a bit angered that what he thought didn't happen. So far, he didn't seem to enjoy Jackson's presence in the Manor…

…

 _6:09 pm_

Jackson currently lied on his bed in the guest room, his mind wandering. For the last five minutes, he expected Atlas guards to bust down his door and drag him down to the docking bay, and send him back to Beacon. He certainly noticed how the two back at the dining room were looking at him. But now, he wasn't certain what would happen, since they never showed. Viktoria, nor Weiss, came to find him either, leaving him to his own devices to pass the time.

But quite frankly, he's been tired of his devices.

If he didn't find something to do, he feared that the deafening silence would soon drive him mad. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long, as an idea popped into his head soon after. Sitting back up and looking at his duffel bag, he walked over to it and began taking out whatever clothing he had brought with him and organizing accordingly. Once he thought everything was where it should be, he grabbed a pair of gym shorts, quickly changed, grabbed Khvostov, and exited his room.

Now he had to figure out how to make it to his desired destination without getting lost in the process.

…

 _6:42 pm_

Jackson got himself lost in the process of figuring out where he wanted to go.

He ended up in places of the Manor he hadn't even laid eyes on before, and it took the frequent asking of whatever staff was around, and Klein if he was lucky enough to stumble upon him, to get his bearings. Eventually, it came to the point where the next time he encountered Klein, the butler just offered to take him to where he wanted to go, although it wasn't as much a kind offer as it was a statement set in stone. Jackson would have made more of an effort to find his own way, but not only was he out of his element in this luxurious urban jungle, but if the flickering red eyes from Klein were anything to go by, he could assume that he was getting rather tired of finding him wandering the halls. Along with probably the rest of the staff.

He won't last the first week if he can't find his way around this place.

Finally arriving to his destination, Jackson walked through the door into the recreational room. Looking around, he was hoping to find Sergei to take him up on the offer he proposed earlier. The sound of continuous batter let Jackson know where he was generally, and after a not-so-thorough search, he found Sergei where they left him, wailing on a punching bag.

"Sergei, please," Jackson jokingly said. "Hasn't that poor punching bag had enough of your punishment?"

Sergei looked around to see Jackson, and began to smile. "After the dreadful things he said about my mother? He'd be lucky to get off the hook with a limb intact." He stopped his attack on the punching bag to walk over to where Jackson stood. "I take it, you decided to take up my offer?"

"Yep," Jackson replied. "I could always use more practice with combat. Not just in hand-to-hand," he pulled out Khvostov to show to Sergei. "But with the newest addition to my arsenal."

The ex-military member let out a low whistle. "Quite the ancient weapon you have there, boy. Where'd you get it?"

"In the Emerald Forest in Vale," Jackson responded. "It was near inoperable when I first came across it, extremely weathered and rusted. It was a miracle it could still transform into its melee counterpart without falling apart. But, after a good friend of mine fully restored it," Jackson proceeded to transform Khvostov into its axe counterpart, and gently swung it left and right. "It's like it's fresh off the assembly line."

"Do you have a photo of what it looked like before the restoration was done?" Sergei asked.

"I believe so, give me a moment." Pulling out his Scroll, he swiped through his photos to see if he had one, because he was fairly certain Ruby sent him a photo of Khvostov, in one piece and taken apart. After a few more moments, he finally found it. "Ah, here we go." He handed the Scroll over to Sergei to look at the photo.

Needless to say, he was impressed. "Quite the restoration work the rifle had gone through," Sergei remarked. "My knowledge of older weapons may be rusty, but not nearly as much as what this was beforehand. Your friend either has one of his own, or knows more about weapons than what most would consider to be healthy."

Jackson chuckled. "It's more towards the latter. And yes, _she's_ been seen to be a bit socially awkward because of it."

Sergei certainly got the message, especially after Jackson put a bit more stress on the 'she' part. "Ah, I see. My apologies."

Jackson nodded. "To be fair, I don't know any women in particular that take an interest in weapon as much as her. Nor do you, I presume?"

"If you recall, _I_ was the one with the affinity for weapons of all sorts and sizes," Sergei joked, eliciting a chuckle from Jackson. "And speaking of, let's see how good you are with it. Show me what you got."

"But, where's your weapon?" Jackson asked.

"I'm giving you a fighting chance here boy," Sergei replied. "I didn't get into the Atlas Special Forces by just asking for it."

' _Fair point…'_ "Alright." Without another word, Jackson now grasped Khvostov in both arms, ready to go against Sergei, but not expecting much of an actual fight, but more of having his butt handed to him on a silver platter.

"Ready?" Jackson gave Sergei a nod, before quickly rushing him hoping to catch him off guard.

No such thing occurred. Instead, as soon was Jackson brought down the axe, Sergei simply sidestepped the attack and swung a right hook at Jackson's face, landing the hit and temporarily jarring his mind. Soon enough, he was able to shake it off and went to try and strike him again, swinging the axe right from where it hit the ground. Again, Sergei saw this coming from a mile away and stepped back, the axe hitting nothing but air as it whisked by in front of him, and caused him to lose his balance. Sergei quickly used this to his advantage by striking him square in the chest, causing Jackson to lose his breath and fall backwards. Before he could even get back up, Jackson found a sickle being aimed at his neck, millimeters away from slicing his throat open. Lo and behold, it was Sergei who was the owner of the nasty-looking blade.

"Well, that didn't last long," Jackson remarked.

Sergei chuckled and pulled the sickle away from Jackson's neck, extending his hand. "Well, I certainly didn't plan on leading you on, just long enough to see what you need work with."

"I only swung at you twice," Jackson said.

"Two swings was all I needed," Sergei countered.

"If that's the case, tell me where I went wrong," Jackson asked.

"You're using the axe incorrectly," Sergei simply stated.

"…Didn't even know that was possible," Jackson sheepishly replied.

Sergei laughed heartily. "Not in the way you think. What you had going on would be adequate, if you were to go up against a big and clow target, like an Ursa or something of that sort. However, I am not a big man, nor am I slow. The attacks you were attempting require a buildup of momentum, which could take one or two seconds, one or two seconds you don't have to spare in a life-or-death scenario."

"The Grimm don't seem to have a care for their own well-being, they charge in without a second thought, a direct course of attack hoping to get within range. So what's the problem?" Jackson asked.

"The problem is that it's no longer just Grimm," Sergei replied. "You now have other human beings to worry about, specifically, the White Fang. I'm aware of what happened in Vale, concerning the breach as well as the docks. I will tell you right now, if it even remotely involves a Schnee, or the SDC, there is not a thing that will go unnoticed by Jacques.

"But I digress. You may be a heavy hitter with that thing on Grimm and and bulky people, but the rest will have ample time to dodge and counter, just like how I handled you in less than ten seconds. There are ways to use an axe in a quick and defensive manner."

"How so?" Jackson asked.

"Extend your grip on the weapon. What I mean by that is spread your hands apart when grasping the weapon, don't keep them close together. That way, you have better control over it to block and perform quick jabs where they leave themselves exposed. What I'm about to teach you will be based on defense and whittling away at an opponent, rather than striking them down in one fell swoop."

"I seem to have a hard time keeping myself away from harm's way, so any defensive techniques would benefit greatly."

And so they trained, however it was more of Jackson being taken down more than anything. But he did indeed learn some important key points and one technique, however he wasn't very good at implementing it.

Yet.

They trained for two hours, Sergei pointing out faults in his stance and grip, and constantly giving him pointers. By the end of it, Jackson had begun hurting all over from the constant pummeling Sergei gave him. And although Sergei seemed to be just out of breath as him, he only had one lung. If he had the other one, Jackson was positive Sergei could do this all day if need be.

"*huff*, Well, we now have a solid foundation on what needs work," Sergei acknowledged. "We'll be able to work on it tomorrow. For now, you look like you need a bed and a glass of water."

"Both of those sound _wonderful_ right now." Jackson agreed.

Sergei laughed. "Go on boy. It's almost nine o'clock, might as well head on to bed."

"I would protest against being treated like a child in how you spoke to me, but frankly, I'm too tired to care." Standing up from his sitting position and grabbing Khvostov, he said goodbye to Sergei and exited the training room.

As he walked over to his room, his Scroll went off, with the ringtone bouncing off the walls and echoing through the hallway as Jackson was the only one there. Pulling out, he found out it was Yang calling him, though he couldn't understand why she'd be calling him at this time of day. Regardless, he answered the call.

"Hello, Yang?" To Jackson's surprise, it wasn't Yang on the other line.

"Guess again, Jay."

"Gage?!" Jackson shouted out, and immediately winced once he finished his outburst, quickly going to his inside voice. "What are you doing using Yang's Scroll?"

"I'm on a date with her right now," he replied. "Plus, I have to get a new one, I haven't replaced my old one."

"What happened to your old Scroll?"

"Don't worry about it," Gage said just a _bit_ too quickly. "Listen, I didn't call you to talk about my Scroll, I called you about your case."

Jackson stiffened. "Did Yang talk to you about it?"

"Yeah. Though it wasn't much of a talk, it was more of a statement."

"And?" Jackson desperately hoped that it would work.

He could hear a sigh coming from the other side. "Listen Jackson, I'm not gonna drop your case, you paid me 10,000 Lien when I don't even charge half that. Plus, I can understand how important this is to you, I've been in your shoes not too long ago."

Jackson was about to let out a sigh of relief, but Gage spoke once again before he could.

"But let me make one thing clear," He said lowly. "I've already warned you about this before, but it seems your head was too thick the first time around: Don't you _dare_ lay a hand on Team RWBY with any ill intent. It was a miracle Yang was able to vouch for you, otherwise you'd be running with your tail between your legs for Vacuo, or worse. If this happens again, so help me Jackson…"

"I get it, Gage," Jackson said. "You don't have to worry, mainly due to the fact that Yang would beat you to it if it ever happened. I honestly doubt she'll vouch for me the second time around."

There was a tense silence between the both of them, before Gage let out a relenting sigh, "Hopefully I won't have to worry. But yeah, your case is still in the works. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date to get back to."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Jackson jokingly remarked.

"Please, you're just saying that because you don't have your own person to love and care for," Gage countered with what could be perceived as a smug tone in his voice. As Gage said that, Jackson had finally arrived to his guest room, however there was a small note card with the Schnee Emblem and a set of visible initials: _W.S._

"You'd be surprised…" Jackson hung up immediately after saying that, and put all his attention on the card resting on the doorknob. Picking up the card, he flipped it over, only to reveal two words that seemed to hold more meaning to him than an entire novel could.

 _Thank you._

A smile slowly crept onto Jackson's face, and he couldn't help but feel a sort of warm feeling inside him. He didn't know how to describe it, but it was certainly there.

"Slowly but surely Weiss," Jackson said, opening the door to his room and entering. "Slowly but surely."

…

 _Beacon Academy_

 _9:03 pm_

Back in Vale, Ethan was currently finishing up an essay he failed to turn in to Oobleck for his History Class. One of the downsides to being an agent disguised as a student was that he was forced to do the work assigned to him if he wanted to continue being a "student." It seems that the cover he told Jackson turned out to be true, unfortunately.

"This isn't why I volunteered to take the role of a student at Beacon," Ethan complained. As he put the finishing touches on his essay, his Scroll went off, breaking him of his focus. He would've been annoyed by the call, were it not for the fact that the only person who had his Scroll number was Adam.

Without a second thought, he picked up the Scroll and answered. "Adam? What is it?"

"We've just gotten news from Cinder," Adam said. "You've been given the go-ahead to take out Jackson."

Ethan couldn't believe his four ears. He's now given the authority to hunt this freak of nature down and put an end to his life. A devilish smile appeared on his face soon after. "I'm looking forward to it," he said.

"Get as much rifle training in as you can at the range in Beacon. You only have this month to get him out of the picture, otherwise we'll be forced to wait until the Vytal Festival Tournament, and we can't have him around for that if we can do something about it. Where is he now?"

"According to the bug on his boot, he's located in Atlas," Ethan replied.

"Atlas?" Adam questioned. "Why the hell would he be in-" He stopped himself as he came to a realization. "The Schnees."

"Uh, what?" Ethan asked.

"The Schnees!" Adam exclaimed. "That son of a bitch is in one of the most fortified places in all of Remnant, the Schnee Manor!"

"What makes you so sure?"

"He has to be, why else would he go to Atlas? He lived in a village here in Vale, the one we _burned to the ground._ There's no other reason he would be there, dammit!"

"Now hold on Adam," Ethan said. "We can still do this. The Schnees hold an annual charity event around this time of the year, and every year they hold it in the outdoor garden they have. If it just so happens to land within the month, there's a chance we can get me over to Atlas."

"Even if we were able to get you to Atlas," Adam said, "There's no way we could get you inside the perimeter for the event."

"I don't have to be inside for it," Ethan reminded him. "You've been training me to use a rifle, remember? Which, might I add, I was already a crack shot before the training. Give me whatever remains before the event to practice, and I'll be shooting apples from a mile out."

A moment passed where neither side of the line spoke, until Adam finally decided to break the silence. "Alright Ethan, I'll give you a chance to pull this off, but I'm going to add something to it."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Jackson is your first priority, but now you have a secondary objective: Kill Jacques Schnee, the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, if possible."

Ethan nodded. "I understand."

"Good, I suggest you get to practicing, who knows how much time you have left." Adam hung up soon after, leaving Ethan to his own devices.

' _It won't be long now,'_ Ethan thought. Finally, he finished his essay for Oobleck and moved on to his next assignment: Math.

"Goddammit, I fucking hate Math."

…

AN: **And that's the chapter! Firstly, I want to apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter out, for two reasons. One, the online classes mentioned earlier, and two, I don't seem to be in the mood to write as vigorously as I have for the previous chapters, and the biggest factor in that is school. It's the beginning of second semester, and this is around the time where teachers begin to hand out big projects and tests in preparation of finals, something I'm not looking forward to. So, I'll be taking it easy with the chapters, and only write if it doesn't greatly interfere with school, and I have the drive to do it. It's not fun if I force myself to do it, and frankly, I wouldn't be doing you guys justice, I don't think the chapters would come out well.**

 **Before I head off, I wanted to give a quick shoutout to fireflame789 in particular. They've got a story by the title of** _ **Wilting Rose,**_ **and I can honestly say that they've taken the RWBYverse in a direction I've never seen before, but maybe you guys have already heard of it and know what I'm talking about. As for the rest of you, I highly suggest you go check it out, it'll definitely be worth your time!**

 **That's all I've got to say. Follow, Favorite, Review, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**


	18. Update

**Hey guys, Mtop70 here.**

 **So... I know I know it's been awhile since my last upload, and I'd just like to say, I'm sorry.**

 **I originally planned on addressing this in my next chapter, but, it's gonna be another while 'til that's up and running too. With school kicking my ass, especially since it's the end of the school year, I just haven't been able to find the time to properly give the attention the story needs/deserves, and I can't just bullshit my way through these chapters. They're a labor of love, and I intend on keeping it that way, no matter how tempted I am to do that. Basically, you might as well consider this a hiatus. I'll do what I can for the chapter if I can find the time to do so, but I don't want you guys getting your hopes up. It sucks, but it is what it is.**

 **Hopefully I'll be back in the swing of things soon...ish.**

 **'Til then guys.**


	19. JAA: A Time Long Passed's Return

**AN: Hey everyone, and welcome back to another chapter of Dead Man Walking! I may have been gone for awhile, but holy shit a lot of people have hopped aboard since then! Shoutout to .andersen, Alternivity, hirshja (glad you're continuing to enjoy it!), CelestialGodSlayer16, YourHighlord, pandragonic, JcL107, God Emperor Of GAR-halla, Terminatis, SILENCE OF THE FATES, Wipeout3a2, Epic Zealot Productions 2.0, EWR115, Bulletmonk, and Toffeecat15 for Following/Favoriting the story, let's begin!**

…

Schnee Manor

4:35 pm

A few days has passed since Jackson's… interesting, first day at the Manor. He hasn't seen much of Jacques around the building; according to Viktoria, Jacques is frequently on business trips, and seldom at home around this time of year. And of the times he is here, he shuts himself off from the outside world in his office, doing God knows what. This didn't concern Jackson much, because he knew that if Jacques wanted him out, he would've done it by now. But then, that raises the question: What is he still doing here? What is keeping him here in the Manor?

Before he could dwell on it any further, he snapped back to reality and was forced to duck under the hammer swing from Sergei and attempted to counter with a quick jab.

Ever since his first day at the Manor, Jackson has been stopping by the rec room to train with Sergei to better use Khvostov. He may be a marksman when it comes to using the rifle, but there is still a lot left to be desired in his melee attacks. Jackson was able to make contact with his jab, causing Sergei to let out a small grunt and to dash back before Jackson was able to follow up with another blow. In response, Jackson charged forward, performing quick blows with his axe, giving Sergei almost no room and forcing him to step further back, and closer to the edge of the ring. If something didn't change quick, he'd be in trouble. As Jackson continued to throw attacks at Sergei, he began to get confident that he would finally get him this time.

However, what he didn't expect was for him to dash forward on his next strike. Jackson's strike was intended to reach out a bit farther, while still having enough control over the weapon to adjust accordingly. But as soon as Sergei got within his bubble, his attack was rendered useless. He was so focused on staying on the offensive, that he was completely caught off guard when the tables suddenly turned, and no method to defend himself. Because of that, Sergei was able to throw a flurry of blows without repercussion. Using the hammer in his right hand, he swung in quick and precise motions, landing a majority of the hits at his sides and arms, leaving his legs exposed as he desperately tried to block. In another quick turn of events, he stopped attacking Jackson's upper body completely and went for his legs. Using his left hand, Sergei hooked his sickle around Jackson's right ankle and yanked hard. As a result, Jackson was now standing on one leg, close to losing his balance. Happy to oblige, Sergei jumped back up and sent a flat palm strike square in his chest with his weight behind it, and he toppled over like a building. Khvostov clattered to the ground away from him, as he tried to get back up and retrieve it. Sergei did not let up on his assault, and quickly closed the gap between them, hammer and sickle at the ready.

By pure instinct, Jackson reached behind him and pulled out Titán, transformed it, and brought it to bear, blocking the strike that was aimed for his face. When both made contact, Jackson's hand jerked back, surprised by how much strength was behind it. With a burst of his own strength, Jackson managed to push back the weapons for long enough to change Titán back to revolver form and aim for Sergei's head. Sergei quickly recovered from the push, and with lightning reflexes, hooked the sickle around Jackson's wrist and yanked it to his right, causing the gun to shoot wide and press his own arm against his body, restraining him with his own limb for a moment, but a moment was all Sergei needed. By the time Jackson was able to free himself from his own arm, he found himself looking down the barrel of a Tokarev TT-30 semi-automatic pistol with an elongated barrel that Sergei transformed during Jackson's struggle.

With a smug grin on his face, Sergei pulled the trigger, and a poof of confetti burst out, covering Jackson's face in rainbow paper pieces.

"Not bad," Sergei said. "I almost began to struggle against you."

Jackson let out an aggravated sigh, but smiled nonetheless. "Why is it that an ex-military member from Atlas Special Forces uses dummy rounds that spit out confetti during training?"

"I may have been military," Sergei said, "But even I enjoy some fun during training. Also, do you have any idea how many matches I won because my opponent was either confused or laughing at the confetti?"

"Well, when you put it like that," Jackson slightly chuckled at the thought of a man like Sergei using colorful paper to throw off his opponent.

"Regardless of the confetti, you've improved quite a bit in the last few days, much more than I originally expected," Sergei complimented.

"Thank you," Jackson replied. "I've always learned quickly, especially with hands-on activities, so naturally I should be learning from my mistakes quickly in this scenario. That's the learning method I've been using for quite awhile now."

"Hm, that's good," Sergei said. "At this rate, you'll certainly be a force to be reckoned with before the end of the month."

"Yeah, but I feel like I'll get my butt handed to me every step of the way," Jackson jokingly argued.

"Well, no one said it was going to be easy."

Both men laughed, and resumed the training for another two hours, which quickly translated into two hours of Jackson beaten in multiple different ways. On the bright side, he was able to find some flaws in his method of attack, and improve his reaction time, if only by a little bit. Now, both men were resting on a nearby bench, Jackson's body essentially drained of Aura and exhausted.

"*pant* I appreciate the training you're giving me Sergei, but at the same time, I hate you for putting me through this hell."

Sergei laughed. "That's the same response Young Schnee gave me when I first trained her. Then again, she was but a child when I did. I didn't expect to hear this from a man."

"Really? You shattered my Aura, you really find it necessary to go after my pride as well?"

"After the beating I gave you, I'm surprised it's still intact." Both shared another laugh together, as if they were lifelong pals.

A temporary silence passed between the two of them, before Sergei broke the silence. "How are things with you and Miss Schnee?"

Jackson was caught off guard by the question. "What do you mean?"

"I'm aware of the past relationship you two share, Weiss would sometimes speak of it absentmindedly, as a way of relieving stress. Reminisced, if you will."

Jackson looked away from him. "It's… been slow, catching up. So much has changed since we last met."

"Hm. I bet that scene you made in the dining hall didn't help with that either."

Sergei's remark caused him to whip his head back towards his direction. "How do you know about that?"

"Jackson, I may be a personal trainer, but I'm also the head of security around here. There isn't a thing that occurs within these walls without my knowing. That, and you made quite the impression on the security guards."

"I did?" He asked.

Sergei nodded. "Jacques is one of the most influential people on Remnant. He has connections to almost everything, and favors he could call in from almost anyone. If he truly wanted to, you could disappear at any given moment, without a trace. Anyone who even looked at him the wrong direction could pay the price severely if he chose to do so."

Jackson soaked it all in, releasing his breath. "Well, that's because all those other people had something to lose. Me? I lost everything years ago… at least, I thought I did. I never thought I'd see Weiss again after what happened, but here I am."

Sergei remained silent, putting some thought into what Jackson said. Time seemed to freeze for a moment, as neither person made a move, nor a sound. Finally, Sergei spoke. "You know, as much as you may dislike hearing it, there IS a reason Jacques acts the way he does."

This caught Jackson's attention. "Oh, and what might that reason be?"

"He loves them, of course."

"He has a hell of a way of showing it…" Jackson muttered.

"Now now, just hear me out on this," Sergei said. "Yes, the Schnee family is a very influential and powerful family, but they're also in constant danger, especially with the White Fang. Time and time again, their family, and company, have been hit by them, each one more ferocious than the last. What started off as peaceful protests and boycotts escalated to damaging SDC outlets and hostile actions. Before long, they've started executing board members and friends to the SDC and Schnee family… then, the White Fang made a very bold move, and went for the heiress."

"Yeah, I've heard about that," Jackson stated.

"What?" Sergei sounded surprised. "How? Mr. Schnee spent a fortune to cover up that incident."

"I don't know where it originated from, but it's been spreading around the Criminal Underground like wildfire, though as far as I'm aware, it hasn't made its way to any large news outlets, not that they'd be likely to take a rumor from anyone with a criminal record."

"You'd be surprised," Sergei said. "There's corruption in every part of the world, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some in the news. Plus, those people are willing to do almost anything for a juicy story. Imagine the controversy it would create if word got out to the public." Sergei paused. "Wait a minute, Criminal Underground? How do you know about the incident if that's where it's been spreading, and not the public?"

"I've…" Jackson struggled to find the words for a proper answer, without making himself appear as a criminal. "...dealt with some shady people in the past to get some info, and I've returned the favor for them."

Sergei narrowed his eyes, analyzing him, before speaking. "You don't seem like a criminal, and I'd like to believe that Ms. Schnee wouldn't have brought you if you were, regardless of past relations. How much of the incident do you know?"

Jackson breathed out a sigh of relief. "Junior's information is usually spot-on, so I can safely say down to the path the man took to get to Weiss."

"Then that means you know how much of an intense situation it was," Sergei said. "Before that, Jacques was very hesitant to allow his daughter and wife anywhere without a security detail, but would let it slide, mainly when they went to go visit you. And, after that happened, within his own home, he couldn't take any more chances."

"But the breach-"

"Had him just about ready to pull out Weiss from Beacon and send her to Atlas, so that she was closeby and could be watched over."

"What?!" Jackson stood from where he sat, obviously upset.

"Thankfully, Ms. Schnee came out of the event exhausted, but unscathed. I'm willing to bet if she so much as scraped her knee, that would have been the last you'd see of her."

"But, he can't do that!"

"He can and he will, if need be," Sergei responded, without missing a beat. "If Ms. Schnee were to go against his wishes, best case scenario, her title as heiress to the company is revoked and passed on to her younger brother, Whitley."

Jackson sat back down,hesitant to ask his next question. "And worst case scenario?"

"Not only is she stripped of her title, but she'd be trapped in the Manor, used by Jacques to his whim in order to further improve the company image through her performances."

"WHAT?!" He shot out of his seat again, this time flinging it backwards.

The abrupt and aggressive action caused Sergei to stand up as well, his hand hovering over the Tokarev. "Easy, boy. You may be an invited guest, but that doesn't excuse you to cause a ruckus."

"He can't do that," Jackson stated. "He won't do that, I won't let him!"

"Jackson," Sergei said in a low voice. "There are two dozen private security men constantly rotating throughout this building on a daily basis, all of them military trained, not including myself, with another dozen on immediate standby. Even the staff have all been trained on how to use a firearm in a quick and efficient manner. I can guarantee you that Jacques will not let another incident like that slide if you try something like that again. It will get very messy, very quick."

Jackson believed every word Sergei said. He believed that he is standing in the middle of what could very well be his deathbed should he attempt anything rash...but his emotions were getting the better of him, and he's not sure if he'll be able to control himself before he does something he'll regret…

Just as the two men stared each other down, the door to the Rec room opened, and Viktoria popped her head in. "Hello-oh dear, is something wrong here?"

Both men turned their heads at her, frozen like a deer caught in the headlights. But Sergei snapped out of it first and put on a smile. "Nothing's wrong, Ms. Schnee. The boy and I were just about to go another round. Is there something you need from me?"

"Not at this moment, Sergei. As a matter of fact, I came here for Jackson. But if you two are going to spar, I can come back later when you two finish."

"Nonsense," Sergei waved off. "I've trampled the boy's pride enough for one day. Take him if you wish."

Viktoria smiled and giggled. "I appreciate you helping him in his fighting techniques Sergei, but could you not at least let him win one match against you to boost his confidence?"

"The only boost the boy needs is a speed boost. I've only got one lung, and he has yet to keep up the pace with me."

Viktoria began to laugh. "I'm sure he'll have you by the ropes soon enough, Sergei. He does have ex-Special Forces teaching him, after all."

Sergei chuckled. "I'm sure he will. Go on Jackson, training's over." But before he could leave, Sergei grabbed his hand and pulled him in close so that Viktoria couldn't hear them. "And don't do anything stupid."

Jackson yanked his hand out of Sergei's grip, turning around and walking towards Viktoria with a smile put on. "You wanted me for something, ma'am?"

Viktoria scowled at Jackson, but in a playful way. "Oh hush, you're making me feel old when you call me ma'am."

"But I always called you ma'am, even as a child."

"And you always made me feel old. From now on, it's Viktoria, mister."

Jackson smiled and chuckled. "Alright, alright. What do you need me for, Viktoria?" He shuddered a bit. 'Ugh, now I feel old.'

Viktoria smiled. "That's more like it, follow me." She turned and exited the Rec room, Jackson close behind.

She led him what felt to be completely across the Manor, yet he'd no clue where exactly she was leading him. "Where are we going?" He asked.

"We're almost there," Viktoria responded. "Just be patient...ah, here we are!" She stopped in front of a door, a unique flower pattern carved into the doorframe.

"What's this?"

"This is my room," she casually responded. She turned the handle and pushed the door open to reveal what was inside.

What awaited inside was...surprisingly underwhelming. Of course, while the original room design is extravagant, Viktoria didn't have much in terms of decor. She had curtains, a rather comfortable looking chair, placed next to a small table with a book and a lamp, and a single piece of artwork hanging on a wall.

"It looks...a little bare," Jackson said.

"Yes yes, I've heard that statement countless times before from staff and Jacques," Viktoria waved off. "And to each and every one of them, I make the same statement: I do not need much, why take more?"

As Jackson spent more time with Viktoria here in the Manor, he began to notice things about her that he hadn't seen before, from her trips to his village. Such as now, he honestly didn't expect Viktoria to be so...modest. Yes, he knew how much of a free spirited woman she was from her monthly visits back then, but he still expected her to have taken full advantage of her family's skyrocket in wealth.

"Hm," is all Jackson could say in response, before deciding to switch topics. "So, why did you bring me here, again?"

"Oh yes, that," Viktoria said, suddenly remembering why they were in her bedroom to begin with. "Well, in reality it's two things, I only just remembered the bonus one as of ten seconds ago." She walked over to the other side of the room, to what appeared to be her closet, jiggling the handle and swinging the door open as she began peering in. "Which one would you like first?"

"Uh, the bonus one, I suppose?" Jackson sheepishly responded, not knowing where she was heading with this.

"Catch!" That was the only warning Jackson got from Viktoria, AFTER she had already thrown whatever she wanted to throw at him. Thankfully, he caught it off raw instinct instead of the late warning.

Once he caught the bag, he began inspecting it. It was a red bag, with a transparent portion to see what it contained inside. It seemed to have a multitude of-

Jackson's eyes shot wide open. "No. Way."

Viktoria could only smile as she got the desired reaction out of him. "I know how much you love those candies. You'd eat as many as you could when you were younger and I brought them as a little treat for you. Glad to see that hasn't changed."

Jackson immediately tore open the bag and pulled out a strawberry candy, unwrapping it and popping it in his mouth. "You've no idea the lengths I've gone through to try and find literally ANY PLACE that sells these things!"

Viktoria only chuckled at Jackson's reaction as he savored the candy. "Have you ever thought of purchasing them online?"

"I have, for your information," Jackson replied as he still sucked on the candy. "However, I didn't really have an address to have them shipped to, and I can't provide an actual address from a home, for obvious reasons, or a business without causing some confusion and trouble for myself."

"Do you not have someone you could ship them to so they could deliver it to you?" Victoria asked.

Gage was the first person to immediately come to mind, and he supposed that it would have been a smart idea. However…

"I do have someone I can ship it to, but I wouldn't trust them with that bag of candy if my life depended on it. Even if I was there, all that would change is that I'd just see him eat it right in front of me."

Viktoria laughed at Jackson's description of his friend. "Sounds like a friend of yours indeed. Plus, I'm quite sure that you'd do the exact same thing if the roles were switched."

Jackson stayed silent for a moment. "...Well...maybe not the EXACT same thing…"

"Is that so?" Viktoria asked in a mockingly accusing tone, one eyebrow raised and a smile plastered on her face. "What would you have done differently?"

"I would have offered to share some of it."

"Offer to share HIS candy, that HE had purchased?"

"At least I'm offering!" Jackson stated in an indignant tone. "Under normal circumstances that bag would've been gone before the end of the week!"

Jackson's feeble attempts to defend himself only caused Viktoria to laugh even more, and for Jackson to grow more flustered before giving up entirely. He popped another strawberry candy in his mouth, tasting of sweet strawberry goodness, with the bitter aftertaste of defeat.

Viktoria's laughing ceased soon enough, and she regained her composure. "Ah, a good chuckle is always welcomed."

"Seemed like more than a chuckle to me…" Jackson mumbled under his breath.

"Alright, enough of that. Let's move on to your actual present." She went back to her closet to pull out her second gift.

"Present?"

Viktoria turned back around, causing Jackson to prepare to catch something else, but there was no other object to catch. Instead, what Viktoria had in her clutches was an envelope, covered in dust and the envelope turned slightly yellow, seemingly due to age.

Viktoria walked up to Jackson and handed him the envelope, taking a small step back.

Jackson looked down at the small white rectangle in his hands, trying to see if it'd reveal anything about its purpose. Looking at the front, he found it to be addressed to...him?

"What the…?" He proceeded to tear open the envelope, and pull out the letter inside:

 _Dear Jackson,_

 _To start things off, I'd like to say happy birthday. You don't know me, but you might have heard of me, depending on if Michael has said anything about the business, or myself._

 _But I digress. The point of this letter wasn't just for you to get a happy birthday from a total stranger, no, it's also an invitation to Atlas._

 _As I'm sure you know, your father, Michael, was the owner of a firearms shop in Atlas. You can find many of them here, what with all the newest technological advancements for weapons coming out on what feels like a daily basis, it's got quite the market. But his business stood above the rest, not because he had all the newest fancy gadgets for the lowest price, but because there was a sense of genuineness to him. Michael was a mountain of a man to most people that met him for the first time, and were easily intimidated by his stature. But after conversing with him, he won them over with his voice and welcoming aura. He treated every customer and employee as if they were lifelong friends, and made the inside of his shop nice and cozy, as if no one had set foot out of their home. Well, as and cozy as a building full of guns and ammo can get._

That elicited a chuckle from Jackson before he returned to reading.

 _The point is, he had a wonderful business going, and it shocked the firearms community to hear that he was putting all of it up for sale to start anew. One of the first people he contacted was me, his closest friend, practically brothers by that point. I had been looking to start up a business and he knew that, so he contacted me and said that he'd like me to take the shop off his hands, that is, if I was willing._

 _It didn't even take me a second to say yes on his offer._

 _And so, we did the paperwork, I paid for the shop, and we said our goodbyes as he took the money to start his new life with any others that were on board with him. The business started out roughly, but now it's back to doing great. Patrons were heartbroken to hear that he left, but I've been trying my best to replicate the atmosphere the shop had while he was around. So far it seems to be working, so I can't complain._

 _So what has this letter been leading up to? Well, I may have given Michael money for the shop, but I can't pay back for the times he's been there for me, and helped me out through hard times, whether financial, or more personal reasons. Even so, I figured I might as well try to._

 _Ms. Schnee and her Bullhead has been Michael and I's only way of communication through letters, as well as any other residents in the village, and I can't thank her enough for it. He's talked about his time in Elpida, and much about you. I hear that among the many things you want to be when you grow older (doctor included, which with your semblance could work out great), you wanted to be a Huntsman. He asked me to help out with that, if I'd be able to, and here it is._

 _Jackson, I want you to come to Atlas, and come to my… your father's shop, so we can build you the weapon of your dreams. If you plan on attending one of the training academies around Remnant, we all want you to have the best stuff there is, not only so that you're safe, but to make you look really cool and make all the other kids jealous._

 _I'll be waiting for you, so I can have the pleasure of helping my best friend's son in achieving his dreams._

 _-Joseph B._

Jackson was silent. He re-read the paper rather quickly, before looking up at Viktoria. "This letter's from three years ago."

She nodded her head somberly. "That was your father's birthday gift to you back then. He entrusted me to send word back to Joseph about his little surprise, and he hopped aboard faster than even Michael thought he would. I was supposed to give it to Michael the day of your birthday, but then the Bullhead had engine issues, and…"

Jackson slowly nodded, knowing what happened next. He didn't have any real need to go, since he had all the weapons he needed that held sentimental value to him, and he had no intention of switching any of them out. But he felt obligated to go. This was his birthday present from three years ago, from his father. He had to go...and he just figured out what he'd do once he got there.

He looked at the bottom of the letter looking for something. "There's no address for the weapons shop Joseph was talking about. Is it even still around?"

Viktoria stood there, thinking. "I'm...not sure. All I was informed of was that I'd take you and him to Atlas, and he would take over from there. Do you know the name of the shop he had?"

"Of course, but he never went into the changes it underwent after he sold it. Before selling it, it was called Wesson's Firearms."

"Well, it's a start," Viktoria said. "Begin there, and see where it leads to."

Jackson nodded, fishing out his Scroll and opening up the browser. He typed into the search bar, "Wesson's Firearms, Atlas", and waited for the results to load in.

It had only taken three seconds for the results to appear, and upon seeing the first one, Jackson froze and choked up a bit.

 _Smith & Wesson's Firearms._

…

 **AN: HOLY FUCK I'VE BEEN GONE FOR WAY TOO LONG I'M SORRY.**

 ***ahem***

 **Yeah, it's been months since my last upload, I'm sorry about that. I'm also sorry for how short this chapter is, in comparison to the ones prior, but I'm starting off easy and slowly easing my way back into things. With all the stuff that's happened in the last two months, this story was sadly pushed into the back of my head, but I'm back! So, that's the chapter, and hopefully the next one won't take nearly as long as this one did. Until next time!**


	20. JAA: An Overdue Introduction

**EDIT: As much as I love the Trench Gun, there was one thing that won me over and caused me to change my mind...**

 **Red Ryder.**

 **...Fuck.**

 **This is going to be harder than I thought.**

AN: **Hey everyone, and welcome back to Dead Man Walking! Shoutout to Anc1enT, DesertFox2, X11-0, MC Gaming369, Yodatab, & TacoWagon for Following/Favoriting the story, let's begin!**

…

 _Beacon Academy_

 _1:16 pm_

 _Two Weeks Before The Charity Event_

Ethan was at the academy's gun range, taking shots at some targets he set up down the range, each shot making their mark. Every target he had set up had one single bullet hole in them, landing smack dab in the middle of the bullseye.

Ethan's weapon of choice was a MK14 EBR, set with a scope that could go out as far as half a mile. Its melee counterpart was a falchion, allowing for swift and efficient close quarters combat. He even had a sidearm, a USP .45 equipped with a silencer. The handgun didn't transform into anything, but he did have a knife to go along with it if need be. However, for the mission he'll be performing, he's going to be given different hardware that's more suited for his placement.

Based off his arsenal, it's clear that Ethan doesn't much fancy direct confrontation. When possible, he attacks from a distance, while still maintaining enough flexibility and mobility to adjust quickly and switch over to mid-range combat. That, or he can use stealth to quickly wipe out his foes with either his sidearm, planting a quick bullet into the back of one's head, or the knife for a more up-close-and-personal execution. He avoids close quarters combat when possible, and uses his falchion as a last resort. He had spent so much time working on his marksmanship with his weapons that he's sacrificed practice with the falchion to improve it. Where he currently stands, his CQC experience is sub-par, at best. As much as he hated to admit it, while his aim is impeccable, he would have to work on his combat. At some point or another, he knew that it's going to save his life.

As he continued to shoot targets, he felt his Scroll go off in his pocket. Laying the rifle down, he began fishing it out, hitting the answer button once he got it and put it against his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey Ethan, it's me."

Ethan let out a suddenly annoyed sigh. It was _him_ again. "What do you want?"

"The same thing I've been trying to get you to do for the last God knows how many years."

"You're still on that?" His response was a mixture of shock and severe annoyance. "Six years go by, and you're _still_ trying to get me to back out of the White Fang?" In reality, Ethan was actually nineteen years old, but he looked young enough to easily pass for seventeen.

"You were fourteen when the White Fang turned, I was hoping you would have grown up by then, and see what you're _really_ doing. And even if it takes ten years to keep you from getting KILLED, then so be it!"

Ethan let out another sigh, but this time, there was a somber tone to it. "You're so determined to bring me back. If only you were the same way with the White Fang…"

"I WAS that way with the White Fang, before they turned to monsters."

"We had to change things!" Ethan shouted in response, now angry.

"They didn't have to change a damn thing! We were making progress with what we did. Boycotts, protests, we were gaining respect for our acts!"

"We looked like idiots, standing around with signs, chants, and our thumbs up our asses! Now, with what we've been doing, we're actually making progress. We're making a name for ourselves, and earning respects from the humans!"

"That's not respect Ethan, that's _fear!_ There's a damn big difference between them, and you know that just as well as I do. What do you hope to gain from all this? Equality? Some kind of closure? None of this is going to bring back Jonathan."

"DON'T YOU DARE BRING UP DAD IN THIS!" Ethan was now livid, as well as starting to get emotional.

"You don't think I'm just as torn up about it about you, if not more so?!" The person on the other line was starting to get emotional as well. "I loved him, and I was devastated to hear what happened to him, but I didn't let that consume me, and who I am. I know that he wouldn't want me to go on a revenge high because of it, and I know he wouldn't want you doing it either."

"If the people at SDC weren't a bunch of money whores, then he'd still be here with us!" Ethan's eyes were starting to tear up from recalling painful memories.

"Son, please." At this point, they were begging. "Come back home, it's not too late to leave the White Fang and continue on with your life."

"NO! This IS my life now, and I won't stop until I make them pay for what happened to Dad!"

Ethan was starting to breathe heavy, strained from the conversation. "And to prove it: Two weeks from now, the SDC has their annual charity event in their garden. Keep your eyes, and ears, open for that."

"Wait, what? Ethan, what do you plan on doing?" Ethan didn't even have the Scroll up against his ear anymore, he brought it away slowly as the person on the other side kept asking questions. "Ethan, answer me! What do you plan on doi-"

Ethan ended the call, hanging up on whoever was on the other side. He resumed his shooting practice, with a more steeled determination than before.

"Cherish the time you have with your family, Jackass Schnee, because I swear in two weeks, you won't get that chance anymore." He took aim, and fired at a target an astonishing 500 yards out….

Bullseye.

…

 _Downtown Atlas_

 _1:42 pm_

Ethan wasn't lying when he said the Atlas climate was harsh.

Walking through downtown Atlas, the winds were already blowing at speeds that made it somewhat difficult to see, and it felt like they were picking up, but Jackson couldn't tell.

He wore his regular attire as he searched for his destination, with the hood up and his hands in his pockets. Viktoria had decided to come along as well, since Jackson had never set foot on the northern continent prior to this. She wore a jacket much more fitting for this kind of weather, big and poofy to keep in warmth.

There were others on the street that had jackets similar to Viktoria's, or they were wearing suits, of all things. The sight of someone in a suit in this weather absolutely baffled him. In reality, the suits were made with strong insulating material, so that it functioned as winter wear and kept the wearer warm, while still looking sharp.

Just as Jackson was gawking at the businessmen, Viktoria grabbed his shoulder and stopped him. "We've arrived."

Sure enough, when taking a look around, he found his destination directly across the street from him, the name in cursive on a large board:

 _Smith & Wesson's Firearms_

The exterior of the building seemed lacking, an exact copy of the buildings that neighbor it, only showcasing some weapons on the windows on either side of the entrance, the newest in firearms advancement and fresh off the assembly line. He could see light through the windows, and some figures milling about from within.

Before he could take in any more detail of the establishment, Jackson felt himself being shaken.

"Jackson? Jackson?" It was Viktoria, who still had her hand on his shoulder, and gently shook him back and forth. "Are you alright? You've stood still as a statue staring at the place for about a minute now."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine," Jackson quickly responded. "I'm just, taking it in."

"The store?" She asked.

"...All of it, really," Jackson responded. "The store, the letter, whoever the store owner may be...it's been such a long time that I've gone without speaking to anyone that's had a connection to my past. Aside from you and Weiss, of course."

"Oh, Jackson." Viktoria squeezed his shoulder. "Isn't this what you wanted, though? To find these connections to the past?"

"Well, yes," Jackson sheepishly said. "But this isn't what I had in mind. I mean, I don't even truly know the man, only that he was my father's closest friend."

' _Then why am I so hesitant to set foot inside?'_

"Then there's nothing to worry about, come along!" Viktoria was already ahead of Jackson before she finished her sentence, nearly halfway across the street by that point. This caused Jackson to give chase, but it was more absent minded, as a part of him was still hung up on all this.

Before he knew it, he was standing at the entrance of the weapons shop, Viktoria standing right next to him. There was no turning back now, he sealed it the moment he set foot on the Bullhead to fly to Downtown Atlas. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The moment he stepped inside, everything around him changed.

It was as if he was transported to another part of Remnant entirely. Not five seconds prior, Jackson stood in a cold and snowy climate, with nothing but shades of white and grey to cover the landscape, and Kingdom he currently stood in. Now, he felt like he stood deep in the woods of Vale, in a small, cozy log cabin, a fire in the chimney giving off a golden glow and a warm atmosphere… Just with a lot of guns.

The walls were covered with oak planks that had an oil finish, giving it a rich brown color. The floor was made of tile, and there were taxidermied animals hung up on walls and placed on top of shelves, a wide variety put on display. From big game like elk and bears, to smaller game like pheasants, ducks, quail, rabbits, and of the sorts. Aside from the weapons placed on the windows for display to the crowds that pass by, all were hanging on the walls, on racks, or in a display case, scopes and various attachments residing besides them. Light panels were in the ceiling, but there were also Fire Dust Lanterns that hung off the walls, adding to the authenticity of the atmosphere, as well as to the golden glow Jackson could see throughout the store.

Him and Viktoria were also not the only people within the shop, as multiple people mingled about, looking at the weapons available and viewing the various types of ammunition stocked on shelves. They seemed to vary just as much as the ammunition sold, from new day-to-day citizens that wanted something for protection, to longtime patrons and men in suits or expensive looking clothing, picking up a few boxes of rounds for the upcoming hunting season. Jackson also thought he spotted some Huntsmen in their midst, but he couldn't be entirely certain about it without asking them. And he didn't care much to know.

It felt… like it was home. Everything about the store and the way it was decorated made it feel _real._ The golden glow, the warmth, as well as the patrons. There was no social divide among these men; some didn't belong to the middle-class, and others higher up. Their patronage to this store, to his father, as well as their mutual passion for firearms has brought them under one roof, and conversing like lifelong pals, maybe even go so far as to say family.

Jackson was so engrossed in taking it all in, that he almost didn't hear a door open from the inside, behind the counter. Shelves and patrons obscured his view from who it was that stepped through, so he slowly made his way over, Viktoria in tow. After weaving between people and wooden shelves, he was finally able to see.

It was a man, or a Faunus rather, that exited the back room. More specifically, he was a Wolf Faunus, middle age, somewhere in his late-forties to early-fifties. However, he does appear to be physically fit, even with his hair appearing to thin. He stood at 5'9, and wore a gray button-up shirt, sleeves rolled up, with black dress pants and black polished dress shoes.

He approached some of the customers that were dying the display case. "Sorry about that, had to handle some things. Where were we?" He smiled to them, but something seemed...off, about it. Like he didn't want to talk to them.

Jackson only stared at the man. "Is that...Joseph?"

Viktoria nodded. "I'd know him from anywhere. He's one of the few Faunus that's respected among the upper class for his skill in the firearms business. Even Jacques recognizes his name when mentioned in a conversation. After all, they did business once before."

"Wait, really?" Jackson was, honestly, surprised. "I wouldn't expect a man like Jacques to do business with such a small store. I'd have thought he'd get his weapons for security done by the Atlas Military."

"It wasn't for his security," Viktoria responded. "It was for something else."

Before Jackson could ask what it was for, Joseph's eye wandered, and caught Viktoria in his sight. His eyes widened and his smile became more genuine. "Ah, Ms. Schnee! What a surprise to see you here!" He began to wave her over.

She was initially caught off guard, but quickly recovered and returned the smile. "Yes, Joseph, it's been quite awhile since we've last interacted." She gently grabbed Jackson's hand as she began to head over to Joseph. "Best not keep him waiting. He is a busy man, after all."

"Um, right." He doesn't know why, but he felt so nervous in that moment, almost enough to cause him to turn around and leave... _almost._

The customers turned around to see who Joseph was speaking to, and when they saw Viktoria, they immediately backed off. "We'll talk later," one of the men said, before moving to another part of the shop to browse.

Joseph began to wave Viktoria over. "Well come on now, obviously there's a reason you came into my shop! How can I be of service?"

Before long, both Viktoria and Jackson now stood across from him. "Oh, I'm not needing any help, thank you," Viktoria said. "However, you can indeed help this young man here." She gestured to Jackson with her head, while he gave a bit of a sheepish smile and extended his hand. "Hello there, Ms. Schnee's told me a bit about you."

Joseph was about taken aback by Jackson, before smiling and happily taking his hand. "My, you've got quite the voice on you, boy. Startled me for a second there." He chuckled. "Also I hope she's spoken good things about me, and not that I have fleas."

His little joke aimed towards his Faunus heritage elicited a laugh from Viktoria. "Come now Joseph, you know that I could never speak ill of you or this shop. Besides, I know you cleansed yourselves of fleas when you moved out of Vacuo and into Atlas."

Now it was Joseph's turn to laugh. "It's good to see you again, Viktoria."

"You too, Joe." She smiled.

"Oh ho, it's been awhile since I've heard that nickname." He turned his attention back to Jackson. "Joseph Black Smith, at your service. Now, what might your name be, lad? I don't know of any kids that manage to appear to be in such close relations to a Schnee, so you've already intrigued me."

"Well, my name's Jackson," he replied. "And I've known Ms. Schnee for quite awhile. Also," he reached into his pocket and pulled out the opened envelope. "You sent me a letter."

"Have I now?" Joseph asked while grabbing the envelope. "I can't even remember the last time I wrote someone a letter, let alone to a youthful man. And Jackson, eh? There's something about that name that strikes me as familiar…"

This is where Jackson began to grow a bit nervous. "Read the letter, and you'll understand."

Joseph's face had a look of amused curiosity. "Alright." He proceeded to lift the flap of the envelope and pull out the letter from three years ago, unbeknownst to him, and began to read. Jackson awaited to see Joseph's reaction/realization of who was standing before him.

As he read the letter, the look of amused curiosity began to seep away, turning to one of a mixture of emotions: confusion, disbelief, and shock. He seemed to take awhile, either re-reading the letter to indeed confirm what he was reading was true, a slow reader, or turned into a blank stare at some point. Frankly, he couldn't tell.

Finally, after what felt like forever for Jackson, Joseph tore his eyes away from the paper and looked at him, mouth slightly agape. "It can't be… you're…"

Jackson nodded. "Jackson Smith Wesson."

Joseph nodded his head. "Michael's boy."

The mention of his father's name caused some heads to turn inside the shop, customers and patrons now looking in their direction. There were others that noticed this, and were confused by the sudden change in behavior, most likely coming around after Michael passed the business to Joseph. Regardless, the small amounts of hushed whispers was enough to change the atmosphere of the shop, if only by a minute amount.

Jackson smiled. "That's right." He clasped his hands together. "I appreciate you keeping his name in the business, even after passing it on to you."

Joseph snapped out of it a bit. "O-Of course," he replied. "I could never take it off, even if the business is now legally mine. He gave me everything, and has helped me through some very difficult times." He gently shook his head. "I'm sorry, it's just a lot to take in. Myself, as well as some of the other patrons, thought you were,well-"

"Dead," Jackson said, interrupting Joseph. "You don't have to beat around the bush."

Joseph cleared his throat. "Yes, that, along with the others… wait, if you're alive, does that mean…?"

Jackson shook his head. "No, it's just me." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, uncomfortable about the mentioning of the others from his village.

Joseph's brief hope was snuffed out. "Ah, I see… I'm, sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, me too," Jackson mumbled.

There was a moment of awkward silence, where neither man was willing to speak up. All that could be heard was the shuffling of feet of the other people in the store, silently watching the event unfold.

Finally, Joseph spoke up, speaking to Viktoria. "Viktoria, how did you find him? Did you really keep up the search, after all these years?"

Viktoria smiled somberly. "Actually, it wasn't I who found Jackson, I gave up long ago trying to find him." She turned to face Jackson, who looked at her when she mentioned that she had given up her search.

"With every passing day that we didn't find you," she started, "it felt like I was reopening the same wound, over and over again. Every flutter of hope that sparked to life with every day anew, snuffed out just the same at the end of each one. I just couldn't bear to keep putting myself through that. It felt even worse giving up, and accepting your death, but I knew it would dull over time."

Jackson looked down to his own feet. "I can understand that. It wouldn't be healthy to hold on to something that kept hurting you, but to let go instead." ' _I just wish I was capable of doing the same thing.'_

"…But Weiss didn't let up."

Jackson brought his head back up. "What?"

Viktoria nodded. "When I gave up on my efforts to find you, Weiss doubled hers. But she kept it a secret, because she knew Jacques would shut it down if he caught wind of it."

"But you did?" Jackson asked.

"I'm her mother, there isn't a thing she could hide from me. Besides, I'd occasionally hear a passing conversation between her and Klein about it. Bits and pieces, but enough to find out what she was doing."

Viktoria sighed. "I couldn't stop her, she cared about you so much." She chuckled a bit. "So much so that some would consider it borderline-obsession. I knew that even if I tried to talk her out of it, she'd have paid no mind to it. Her search would end one of two ways: either she finally found you, or it would go on for long enough that even her steeled determination would soon rust away, and morbid reality would take its place… The latter is what won."

Jackson looked back down to the ground, feeling absolutely rotten on the inside. Sure, he didn't have any direct connection in their emotional torment, but he mentally berated himself for allowing it to go on, regardless of whether he was aware of it or not. He had _every_ opportunity to call them, to send them a message, at the very least tell them that he was _alive._ But no, his desire to get stronger, to improve, to find the people responsible for the destruction of his home, consumed his actions. It was what drove him to keep pushing, to find what he could about the White Fang.

However, in those moments where he'd bitten off more than he could chew, and he could do nothing but recover, the Schnees plagued his thoughts, more specifically, Weiss. The moments they shared, the memories they made, and just her, in general. Well, they always occupied his thoughts, but they'd be pushed to the back of his mind, his personal vendetta taking place as top priority.

' _God, I've fucked up.'_

There was a muffled, sharp noise that progressively got louder and clearer, until he was brought back to reality by a pair of snapping fingers. "Jackson? Jackson?" It was Viktoria. "Are you alright, you looked like you were deep in thought."

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I was just thinking about some stuff," he responded. His reply was good enough for her.

Joseph suddenly spoke from nowhere. "So, Jackson, what do you want?"

Jackson was a bit taken aback by his question. "Pardon?"

He waved the letter. "I don't care if it's been three years since I've sent you this letter, if you're looking for a weapon you want me, then there's no better place to do it. So, I ask again, what kind of weapon do you want?"

"Oh yeah, that. I completely forgot why we came here to begin with. And, actually, I don't want a weapon made from scratch." He took Khvostov off his back and gently placed it on the counter. "Just looking to have one remodeled."

Joseph let out a low whistle. "Been awhile since I've seen one of these in use. Ancient as hell, no doubt, but sturdy and reliable." He picked up the rifle and took a peek through the sights. "You've got a cracked lens in your sights. No problem though, I can get this easily replaced."

"Actually," Jackson quickly interjected, "I'd prefer if you left the sight as it is. Doesn't really affect my aim, plus, it gives a sense of wear that I like. What I want is for you to switch the melee function on it."

Joseph froze and looked at him. "Now that's gonna be a bit more difficult."

"Come on, Joseph," Jackson said. "It's a Great War-era weapon. These things were mass produced for troops on the battlefield and came with various melee functions. It'll be just like changing the firing mode on any ol' rifle."

Joseph chuckled. "Ain't that the understatement of the century. What's it got on the rifle now?"

"It's got the axe at the moment," Jackson responded. Sure enough, when Joseph found the button, when it switched, he now wielded an axe.

"The pieces move smooth as butter, like it's fresh off the assembly line. Where'd you find it in such good condition?"

"I didn't, the damn thing was about ready to blow up in my hands if I fired it. A friend of mine fixed it up for me."

"Well he must be quite the gifted gunsmith," Joseph complimented.

" _She'd_ be happy to hear that from someone like you," Jackson replied.

"Ah, my bad." He set Khvostov down. "It'll be a little bit of a hassle to convert it, but I should be able to pull it off. Now the question is, what do you want it converted to? If I remember correctly, these rifles came in swords, axes, and clubs. Of course, each design had a unique detail to their respective designs. Swords had longer barrels, but took away from their maneuverability, axes were made for more practical uses, such as setting up camp in the forest and chopping some wood for a fire, and clubs were made of a denser, harder material so the weapon could take as much blunt punishment as it was dishing out."

Jackson thought about what he wanted to change it to on the trip over to the shop, so it took no time for him to respond. "I want you to convert it to a sword. More specifically, a Great-sword."

Joseph nodded. "Alright, I can do that. I'll have to order in some special parts or material to make it happen, some of the ones I know I'll need will have to be either specially ordered or hand-made with the use of some weapons blueprints."

"Great! Thank you Joseph," Jackson said.

Joseph waved it off. "Please, don't make a big deal out of it. Your father has done more for me than I could even begin to pay back for. It'll take a good while before the parts needed come in and I can start working on it, so I'll let you know when you can come and pick it up."

Jackson nodded. "I look forward to it. Till then." He waved and turned around to leave the shop, when something caught his eye, and caused him to stop dead in his tracks.

"Is that…?"

"Hm?" Joseph followed his line of sight, until he was now looking at the same thing as Jackson. "Oh yeah, ain't it a beaut? It's a miracle the damn thing was still holding together when I found it. Put a lot of effort into making her look the way she is now." He let out a slight chuckle.

The item in question was a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, made before weapons manufacturing had created the hybrid weapons such as Khvostov, and the ones Remnant uses today. The only thing about it that could be considered melee would be its unorthodox ability to be used as a club if push came to shove.

It was truly a sight to behold. A rifle with a walnut stock and grip along the beginning of the barrel, a lever-action loading system, and a barrel length of only 20 inches. There was no special design or appealing aesthetic to it. It was simply an iconic weapon, one of the most popular Winchester Models to ever be created, and dubbed "The Gun that Won the West." Its nickname came from its soaring popularity in Vacuo back then.

Jackson immediately turned to Joseph. "I want it."

Joseph, in turn, was taken aback by Jackson's abrupt statement. "Come again?"

"The Model 1873," Jackson said, "I want to take it off your hands."

Joseph chuckled and shook his head. "As much as I'd like to, unfortunately, this is something I can't give to you. I've put quite a bit of Lien into it, for custom parts and restoration overall, and it's an investment I'd like to see pay off."

"I'll buy it off you, name your price."

"You're really committed to taking it home with you, aren't you Jackson?" Joseph asked as he silently laughed. "Well, alright then. Let's see… because of the original purchase I made on it, as well as collector's value and restoration work… that's going to run you around 3,000 Lien."

"Done." Jackson slapped his Lien card onto the counter.

Joseph stood there, caught off guard. "Wait, really? I didn't think you'd go for it after hearing the price, kid."

"I've been a weapons nut for the last two years. I've always wanted to get my hands on an old iconic weapon, and now I'm given the opportunity to claim The Gun that Won the West as my own. Money's no object, so you can bet your ass that I'm snatching that rifle, Joseph."

"Uh, okay!" Joseph seemed a bit excited. "I love the rifle, but it's nice to know that it's finally selling." So, Joseph took the card, processed the purchase, and gave the rifle to its delighted new owner. Jackson and Viktoria exited the store, waving goodbye to Joseph and back out into the cold weather.

"Well, that went much better than I expected," Jackson remarked.

"I'd say so," Viktoria agreed. "Now, onto the tailor."

Jackson froze for a second. "Um, pardon?"

Viktoria turned to look at him. "We're going to the tailor now. We need to get you an outfit for the charity event, of course!"

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?"

Viktoria shot him a look that basically screamed, ' _Really? You're going to ask me that question?'_ "Have you attended a charity event before, Jackson?"

Jackson shot her back the exact same look. "What do you think?"

She exhaled through her nostrils. "Of course you haven't… regardless, you are NOT going to attend a formal event in that attire. We're getting a suit tailored for you, and that's final, young man."

Jackson sighed. "Alright, but that doesn't mean I'm going to like it."

Viktoria smiled and grabbed his hand. "As long as you're wearing a suit, you could be absolutely miserable for all I care."

Jackson loudly groaned, eliciting a giggle from Viktoria as they journeyed to another store for his formal attire.

' _And this day was going so well…'_

…

AN: **Alright.**

 **So.**

 **This chapter, again, took longer than I wanted it to to come out. My only reasoning for it is Senior Year has finally rolled around, and that means getting college applications in order, letters of recommendation, along with other things. Writing has been the last thing on my mind lately, unfortunately, and it wasn't until literally late at night did motivation strike me, and I busted out the rest of the chapter in about the last three days. I'm really making it an effort to try and keep a schedule, but it's no good to rush the writing process just to make a deadline. I hope you guys understand.**

 **But anyways, that was the newest chapter of Dead Man Walking. Still no action, but I promise you, it'll come! As much as I love packing in as much action into every chapter possible to keep things interesting and fun, transitional chapters such as these are needed from time to time. Follow, Favorite, Review, and I'll see you all in the next chapter of Dead Man Walking!**


	21. JAA: Crashing The Party

AN: **Hey guys, and welcome back to another chapter of Dead Man Walking! Hot DAMN, this chapter took forever to get out, but it's worth it (hopefully)! Shoutout to delta4873, Duskrunner, narashi1000, Drunkmonky6504, and The super saiyan ninja for Following/Favoriting the story, let's begin!**

…

 _Schnee Bullhead_

After what felt like an eternity of standing, waiting for a tailor to get the proper measurements, Jackson had to return to Joseph's shop because he forgot to purchase any ammo along with the Model 1873. He bought five boxes of .44-40 ammunition for the rifle, and him and Viktoria began to head back to the Manor. Jackson's clothing was to be delivered to the Manor in a few days, a week at most, depending on the circumstances. On the Bullhead back, Jackson spent the time admiring his new weapon, playing around with the lever-action loading sequence and acting absolutely giddy over it.

Viktoria could plainly see it plastered on his face. "I didn't expect you to have such an interest in the older models, Jackson," Viktoria remarked.

"I always did, ever since I started learning about history back in school," Jackson replied. "Especially the Great War. It was such an iconic moment in Remnant's history, and as weird as it may sound, the weapons they used were groundbreaking in ways."

"Yes, I suppose so." Viktoria began to stare out the windows of the Bullhead. "…When do you plan on fixing things, Jackson?"

Her abrupt question caused Jackson to freeze in the middle of messing with the Model 1873. "Repeat that?"

"When do you plan on fixing things, with Weiss?" Viktoria pressed.

He was so caught off guard, he didn't know what to do, or how to react. "W-What do you mean? There isn't anything wrong between us."

"Don't give me that," she said. "I'm her mother, and I can tell when she's hung up about something."

"And what makes you think it has something to do with me?"

"Because you two haven't even so much as spent five minutes with each other since you've set foot in the Manor. You two should've been bounded at the hip this entire time, if past experiences were anything to take from."

' _Fuck, she's got us made.'_ At this point, there was no use trying to hide it. Setting down the rifle, Jackson let out a somber sigh. "I don't know," he said. "It's… complicated."

"How?" This woman had no intention on letting up.

"We… no, **I** , was at fault for some things that transpired before we came here. And it really hurt her, I could tell." He sent a hand through his hair as he was berating himself. "Now, there's this awkward tension or silence between us, and I don't know if I'm too stubborn or stupid, but I can't find it in me to make things right."

"Why not?" Viktoria asked.

"…Because a part of me still wants to blame Weiss for what happened." Jackson was absolutely _livid_ at himself for saying that out loud, let alone even thinking it. "Weiss held out on some important information, and there's this selfish feeling inside me that's saying none of this would have happened if she had told me from the very start. But I know that I overreacted, and made things worse, but I refuse to admit that to myself, and it's just… Rrrgh!" He hit the wall beside him in a small fit of rage. He closed his eyes tight as he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to collect and restrain himself. His little tantrum caused the pilot to shoot a quick glance at him, before looking back at the skies ahead.

Surprisingly, a hand reached out to Jackson and gently squeezed his shoulder in a comforting manner. Opening his eyes again, he found Viktoria reaching over to him, and giving him a warm smile. "You'd be surprised how quickly an apology to her could fix this."

It sounded too good to be true for him. "Yeah, right. What if she rejects the apology, then what?"

"She won't reject it, not after everything you've been through and experienced together," she said. "You know, sometimes, you seem to forget just how important you are to her, and that's where the root of the problem is. Those moments where you forget, you also forget how much an impact that has on her as well. This scuffle you two had before coming here? You are handling this much better than her, and I can guarantee that." Viktoria took her hand off him and leaned back. "Do you know how many friends she had before coming to Beacon?"

Jackson looked confused. "Hundreds? She's a very popular girl, who's really talented an-"

"How many _**real**_ , friends, her own age?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. Instead, all that could be seen was Jackson opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water gasping for air, trying to come up with a valid response.

Viktoria never gave him the opportunity, as she answered for him, holding up a finger. "One. Weiss has only ever had one true friend, that ever saw her and valued her for who she was as a person, and not by the family she came from. And it was a ten year-old boy who lived in a village North of the City of Vale, 'The Village of Hope.'

"Yes, she was popular, and she did have a lot of friends, but they all came from a background similar to her own, a wealthy family and raised around businessmen, maids and servants at her beck and call. I can guarantee you that if at any point, she was stripped of her title and lost everything, those friends of hers would turn on her without a second thought."

Jackson looked down at the floor, just taking it all in, without making any effort to defend himself. "But, why?" He quietly asked.

"It's the way the world works," Viktoria responded sadly. "She'd suddenly be the outcast, the person that was no longer 'one of them,' and the same would happen to any other person if it were to happen to them.

"There is a story, a true story, mind you, about a girl that attended a school, here in Atlas. However, she was a Faunus, and she knew that she'd be harassed and ridiculed for her unique traits. Thankfully, she beared no physical features of a Faunus, for she was a Chameleon Faunus, and could change the color of her skin. All she had to do was refrain from using her ability, and everyone would be none the wiser. It worked, and for quite awhile too. She got along well with the students at her school, made friends, memories, lived the life of a normal girl. But one day, while talking amongst her peers, news of a Dust mine accident had come up, some Faunus workers setting off an explosion by accident. And instead of being heartbroken or concerned of the events that unfolded, they _snickered._ They thought the whole thing was humorous, right in front of this Faunus girl. She couldn't take it. Her skin color turned blue, and she wept for the miners caught in the accident. By the time she controlled herself, she found the girls, as well as the students surrounding them, looking at her, in fear, and possibly a glimmer of disgust in their eyes. And she ran."

Viktoria leaned back and sighed. "It's a cruel world, Jackson, as much as I hate to admit it. Close friends could turn on you in an instant, just like they did with the Faunus girl."

Jackson planted his face in his hands. ' _Why must we be so divided? Why can't we just get along?'_

Viktoria's voice came back up. "But, not all is dark and gloomy."

"How?" His voice was muffled with his hands covering his face.

"There's you."

This caught his attention, as he pulled his head back up away from his palms. "Me?"

She nodded. "You were a shining beacon of hope in your village. Always smiling, always helping when you could, never a bleak outlook on life. It was a refreshing thing for them to see, and for us to witness anytime we came to visit."

"I _was_ ," Jackson responded. "Not anymore."

"Not for a while," Viktoria corrected. "He's still in there somewhere. I know it, and so does Weiss, and we both believe he'll come out soon. The question is, do you?"

The cabin of the Bullhead fell silent, as Viktoria left Jackson to ponder her question, and maybe come up with an answer.

' _Do I?'_

It wasn't long after did they finally arrive at the Manor. Both passengers giving their thanks to the pilot, they stepped out and quickly made their way inside. Viktoria smiled as she entered her home, shaking her body to quickly warm herself back up.

"Ah, that's much better," She said to no one in particular. Jackson absentmindedly nodded and began to walk.

"I'm going to go find Sergei," he said. "Hopefully put in a few good hours of training."

"That's fine," Viktoria said. "Dinner will be in five hours, so be sure to take a shower beforehand once you finish your session with Sergei." Jackson nodded to her and continued to walk.

"Oh, and one more thing." He stopped in his tracks and turned his head to face her. "I really am serious about giving Weiss an apology, or some form of closure in this event. The sooner, the better."

He averted his gaze. "I'll keep that in mind." He kept walking, and before long, he turned out of eyesight.

…

 _Forever Fall Forest_

 _1:07 pm_

 _One Week Before The Charity Event_

Ethan arrived to the White Fang base hidden deep in the Forever Fall Forest a few hours ago. He had been sparring with a fellow "classmate", when he received a message from Adam, saying that he wanted him to come to the base, most likely concerned with the event only a week away. He was in his Beacon Uniform, but only wearing the tie and white button-up dress shirt. He had left the overcoat behind.

It wasn't long before Adam appeared from one of the tents set up in the camp, and began approaching him. "Good, you're here, come with me," he said in a straight-to-the-point manner. He turned and headed for another tent in the encampment.

Ethan followed him. "What's this about, Adam?" He asked. "Has there been a sudden change of plans?"

"No, everything is going as expected so far," Adam replied. "What's happening right now is it's time to give you your weapon for this assignment and to send you to Atlas."

Ethan stopped in his tracks. "Wait, what? We still have a week before the charity event is underway-"

"Which is why we're sending you now," he quickly responded. "It's best you use the time to get acclimated to the new environment, and scout from a far distance away to determine where you will set up your shot." As Adam reached the tent, he pulled the flap aside and stepped in, finding a weapons case with the Atlas Military insignia printed on the top of it. Just as Ethan came up alongside him, Adam began to undo the latches on the crate, and revealed what lied inside. Ethan's eyes widened a bit when he saw what it contained.

Inside the case, lied a brand-new .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle. With a velocity clocking in at 2,800 feet per second, and the range to cover over a mile, one well-placed shot could very well be the last thing one would experience without ever knowing who shot it or where it came from. Even a good shot on a Huntsman could put a damn good dent in their Aura.

"Adam, how'd you get this?" Ethan asked.

"Torchwick managed to get his hands on it somehow, and had it delivered to us," he responded. "I hate to admit it, but Roman's pretty good on getting his hands on things he needs or his clients need. You'll be using this for the assassination, and I want you to make slight adjustments as needed to get accustomed to the new rifle. Experience the climate in Atlas, as it will be _very_ different from here in Vale, and do what needs to be done. There's a Bullhead waiting to take you to Atlas as we speak, and a hotel has been booked for you for the duration of this mission. We need you as far as possible from the scene, but close enough that you can still manage to make the shot. Keep me posted at all times if any changes occur." He turned to look straight at Ethan, which felt like the man was boring holes into his skull. "And don't fuck this up."

Ethan gulped as he nodded. "Yes sir."

Adam nodded and turned to exit. "Do what you need to do to fine-tune your targeting. But remember, Jackson is the mission. If possible, take out Jacques as well, but the monster comes first."

"They're both monsters," Ethan quietly responded. Adam stopped for a moment, and took a quick glance backwards, before giving him a slight nod and exited the tent, tending to other issues that needed a solution.

Ethan exhaled and took the case, leaving the tent as well and indeed finding a Bullhead standing idly by for him. He boarded the airship, and before long, he was on his way to what most can agree on was the most militarized on Remnant.

' _Cherish your last few days on this planet, Wesson.'_

…

 _Schnee Manor_

 _2:12 pm_

A week has passed since Jackson and Viktoria went out to meet Joseph. He's sent them a few updates on the process of converting Khvostov, per Jackson's request, and he's already made good progress on it. He says that he'll have it done by the time the charity event takes place, to which Viktoria had so kindly invited him to, and can deliver it personally. Jackson has kept up his training with Sergei, and gets closer and closer to beating Sergei, but yet the goal seems to get farther and farther as time goes on. Though that's not to say he hasn't made significant progress. His raw-instinct-oriented fighting style has improved, and now he's starting to anticipate attacks prior to them happening. His sloppy hand-to-hand combat is getting quicker and stronger, and his blocks are even harder to get past now. However, until Khvostov comes back, he's limited to his sidearm, it's Bowie counterpart, and his own two hands. His bow is meant for medium to long range, and the Model 1873 can only shoot. It was a wonderful purchase Jackson doesn't regret making, but it does have its limitations. The reload time is less than ideal, which could have severe consequences in close quarters combat.

Jackson had gotten out of a quick shower after training with Sergei, and was walking around the Manor in jeans and a black t-shirt in an aimless manner. On occasions like these, he'd usually perform target practice or something along those lines. However, he didn't really feel like doing that, nor any sort of training really, which left him with not many activities available. Before he could continue thinking about what he could do, his stomach rumbled. His training with Sergei seemed to have left him a bit famished… and he knew exactly what he could do to quell it.

Navigating the halls with a rough mental map of the Manor, Jackson soon found himself exactly where he wanted to be: the kitchen. Well, not exactly the kitchen, he was currently in the dining room, standing in front of the door that connected the kitchen and dining room and allowed the staff to move meals to and fro. Jackson wasn't entirely sure if he was allowed in the kitchen, but he wouldn't know for certain unless he tried. Without thinking, he stepped through the door, transitioning from dining room to kitchen. What he saw on the other side left him in awe, to say the least.

The kitchen looked like something torn right out of a five-star restaurant. It seemed too large just for a family of five, he thought, but then again, a family like the Schnees must have frequent guests over, to discuss business and what have you. Everything from stoves, ovens, refrigerators and dishwashers all looked like top-of-the-line kitchen appliances. Three giant fridges stood side by side, one he assumed held meats and whatnot, another containing fresh produce, and the final containing other baking ingredients, such as flour, herbs and spices, etc. Pots and pans were either neatly hung or in drying racks.

Before Jackson could actually do anything in the kitchen, someone walked in through the same set of doors behind him, and they spoke out. "Hey, what are you doing in the kitchen? You're not allowed in here!"

Turning around, Jackson found himself looking at one of the Schnee's resident chefs, and she looked none too happy.

"Um, I was looking around, trying to figure out where everything was," He sheepishly responded.

"Well, now that you've had your little tour of the kitchen, out!"

Jackson was a bit taken aback by the blunt nature of this woman. "Now, hold up, I wanted to make something, not just take a look around."

His statement caused the chef to freeze for a moment. "You're, interested in cooking?" However, she quickly shook her head as an attempt to rid the thought from her mind. "No, what am I saying? If you'd like something made, you can tell me what and I'll be more than willing to have it done for you by the next meal time."

"I can't accept that ma'am," Jackson responded. "I've little to do at this moment in time, and I'd really like to make something to occupy myself. And yes, I do have an interest in cooking, though baking would be a more fitting term." Jackson's determined passion to bake something led the chef to ponder for a bit, and possibly reconsider. "Please ma'am, can't you make some kind of exception and allow me to bake?"

There was a passing moment of silence before the chef finally responded. "I'm sorry, I can't have a child run rampant in the kitchen, making what he pleases." Jackson was about to protest, before she held a finger up to keep him from speaking. "NOT, by yourself, at least. However, if I were to keep watch over you and supervise while you did so… then I suppose it'd be alright."

His frown of protest slowly turned to a smile as she said that. "Thank you ma'am."

"Just be aware that I _will_ enforce proper kitchen procedures while you're under my watch, so do not sloppy in here!" She quickly added on. "Also, what do you intend on baking that has you so set on being in here?"

"Oh right, that!" Jackson turned to the fridges in the kitchen. "Which one holds baking ingredients, like flour, sugar, and whatnot?"

"The one on the right," She responded in an apt manner, in which Jackson quickly took off towards the one she pointed out. As he began picking the items he needed, she called out to him again. "You have yet to tell me what you plan on making!"

Jackson returned with various baking ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, ground ginger, eggs, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, and a pan. "Well, it's a kind of food quite simple in appearance, produce?" The chef pointed to the middle one. "Thank you, as I was saying, it's simple in appearance, simple in making… here it is!" Jackson returned to where he had set down all of the ingredients he gathered earlier, and added a vibrant orange pumpkin among the group.

"And yet it's arguably my favorite dessert to eat, and make."

…

Weiss was also wandering the halls of the Manor in an aimless fashion. She had just finished her daily vocals practice for the charity event, which was now only a handful of days away. Performing in front of an audience had now become routine for her, being the poster girl for the SDC along with an angelic singing voice. It was a passion for her, since she knew that she had a gift when it came to singing, narcissistic as it may sound. But with every one of Jacques' events that call for her as the main entertainment, it seems to suck the passion out of her, because she knows he only intends to cash in on her vocal talent and to gain positive attraction from the media. It's a discouraging reality for Weiss, but it's one she's already come to terms with.

Usually she'd have something to occupy herself for a majority of the day, such as practicing her combat skills and reflexes, either by herself or with Sergei, but lack of motivation has taken a tight grip on her. Yes, even the Ice Queen can find herself at a loss when it comes to finding things to do. As she continued to wander, she caught whiff of a smell. It was faint, but it was a sweet scent, like someone was baking something. There was something about it that struck her as familiar. Not long after, she heard faint laughter echo down the hallways.

"What on Remnant…?" With curiosity getting the better of her, Weiss began to follow the sounds through the Manor. As she got progressively closer, the laughter became more distinguished, and the aroma got stronger. She could now make out the laughter, which came from two people, male and female. Both voices sounded familiar, which only caused her curiosity to grow even further. The longer she went off ear and nose, the closer she got to her desired destination, until she arrived to the dining room, finding the commotion emanating from what looks to be the kitchen. Walking to the kitchen doors, Weiss pushed them open and stepped inside.

Upon stepping into the kitchen, she was already witnessing some Grade-A tom foolery happening. There was a man that was wearing a pumpkin on his head with aluminum foil wrapped around his entire left arm, and she immediately knew him to be Jackson, because absolutely no one else in the Manor was loose enough to do something as silly as that. There was also a chef, who Jackson had come to know as Rosita while baking, who was laughing like a madman at Jackson. He had his back turned to Weiss, so anything that Jackson had done to the pumpkin she couldn't currently see, unless she was just laughing at the fact that the boy put the gutted vegetable on his head to begin with. Rosita's eyes wandered from Jackson's silly display, and caught sight of Weiss just staring at them, which caused her to lose all humor in her stance and face and freeze up with a look of shock.

Jackson of course noticed Rosita's sudden change in demeanor, and tilted his orange head in confusion. "Hey, what's wrong?" He suddenly lowered his stance as he put both his arms out in front himself while waving them in a spooky manner, and spoke in a spooky voice as he began to turn around to see what she was staring at. "You look like you've just seen the Ghost of- WEISS!" His spooky tone disappeared towards the end of his statement, as Jackson was just as shocked to see Weiss watching them as Rosita was, and immediately jumped back, only to step on a patch of pumpkin guts that caused him to slip and fall.

Of the brief period that Weiss _did_ get to see Jackson before falling, she saw that he had drawn a face on the pumpkin of someone that struck Weiss as familiar, but couldn't remember exactly who it was. To Jackson, it was his good old friend, Gage Sim. He had drawn him on the pumpkin in a way that made him appear as though he was pulled straight out of an cartoony anime. Enormous eyes with sparkles in them, simplified facial features, and a large open smile that resembled the shape of a large sideways D. The foil wrapped around his left arm was obviously meant to represent Gage's prosthetic, and the fact that Jackson did such a poor job at replicating the prosthetic with foil made it all the funnier to look at.

When Jackson fell, the gutted pumpkin cracked open from the back where it hit the ground, and slipped off when he brought himself back up, revealing some seeds and a few strings of pumpkin guts stuck in his hair. "Wh-What are you doing here?" He realized the foil was still wrapped around his left arm and quickly ripped it off.

Now,

Under normal circumstances, it'd be beneath Weiss to see any humor, let alone laugh, in someone else's misfortune as trivial as slipping and falling, and would instead judge them in their seemingly lack of balance and attention to their surroundings. However, in a time like this, after what he's done to her, his slip-up (eyyyy) and embarrassment in his actions just made it _that_ much more funny for her, which in turn caused her to stifle a chuckle as a smile crawled its way onto her face. "Oh, nothing," she said in a nonchalant manner. "I was merely milling about, when I heard a commotion coming from here. So, I took it upon myself and investigate, so as to make sure nothing bad were to happen."

Rosita took that as her cue to speak up. "Ms. Schnee, I cannot apologize enough for allowing this _rapscallion_ to come in here and making a mess of the kitchen, mucking about with foil and fresh produce all over him if it were his personal wardrobe!" Weiss and Rosita heard an indignant "Hey!" come from Jackson, as he was thrown under the bus by Rosita faster than he thought possible, but both paid no mind as Rosita continued her plea for forgiveness. "I'll have him out of here forthwith, and clean up the mess he's made, as if he never set foot in here to begin with."

"No no, Rosita, it's quite alright," Weiss said. "As long as Jackson here doesn't destroy any kitchen equipment while he's in here, I'm sure a few spilled pumpkin seeds won't hurt anyone."

Rosita was still a bit hesitant of letting this go. "A-Are you sure? It wouldn't be a problem, really."

Weiss simply waved it off. "I'm sure."

Rosita breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you Ms. Schnee, you're starting to become like your mother."

Before Weiss could respond, Jackson decided to throw his two cents in, and speak up. "That was cold, Rosita. Turning on me, _*snap!*_ , just like that." He was upset on her sudden betrayal.

Now it was time for Rosita to defend herself from Jackson. "Oh come on, you must understand that I'm rather fond of the job I have. If that meant kicking you out of the kitchen to save it, then so be it."

"Oh really? You know, I have half a mind to wrap _you_ in foil and place a pumpkin on _your_ head for how quickly you singled me out to save your own skin."

"Just _try_ it, boy. I may be a chef, but that doesn't mean I don't have what it takes to kick your ass!"

Weiss was surprised at how quickly the had gone to each other's throats, and interrupted their little debacle. "If you don't mind me asking, what were you two doing in here to begin with?"

Both Rosita and Jackson were glaring the other down, until they heard Weiss' question and froze. In unison, they shouted, "THE PIE!" They both made a mad dash for the oven, and Rosita grabbed the handle and swung the oven door down. "Quickly, grab some mitts and get the pie!"

"Fuck that!" Jackson instead just grabbed the pie with his bare hands, his aura protecting him from sustaining any burns from the still-hot pan. Quickly pulling it out of the oven, he brought it over to a counter top and put it down, fanning his hands to cool them down. He may not take any physical damage with his aura shields up, but things such as heat and electricity can still bypass them.

"Phew, there. All that's left to do is to wait and let it cool." Before the air in the kitchen could get awkward, Jackson went to picking up the pieces of the pumpkin that splattered about when the hollow shell cracked, and picked up the foil as well, disposing of it all in the trash and exiting the kitchen, deciding to wait in the dining hall instead.

"Well, Ms. Schnee," Rosita spoke up, "Seeing as how there is still time left before myself and the other chefs begin preparing for dinner, I shall take my leave as well. Have a good day." She exited through another set of doors that led elsewhere in a quiet, yet swift, manner, leaving Weiss all by herself once more, in the kitchen.

Seeing that she had absolutely no reason to stay in the kitchen, Weiss left as well, through the same doors Jackson went through earlier, and found him sitting in a chair not far from the kitchen doors, to check on the pie, she presumed. As she neared, she could hear the faint sound of blasters coming from the Scroll he had in his hands, an arcade game to pass the time. Stepping over to the other side of the table, Weiss pulled out a chair and sat across from Jackson, silently sitting there, staring at him.

After a moment of alien blasters the only thing to fill the air, without taking his eyes away from the screen, Jackson said, "Any particular reason as to why you're still here?"

Weiss was taken aback by his blunt question directed towards her. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Can't a woman simply enjoy the company of a longtime friend?"

"Well, considering neither of us have given the other company for days now, let alone even utter a word to each other, I'd say that raises a few questions as to why now."

"I want to make things right between us," Weiss responded. "It's just as you said, days have gone by where we haven't even so much as waved at each other passing in the halls, and there's still three weeks left before we return to Beacon, three weeks where we still reside under the same roof."

"I've spent three years without interacting with another human being for no more than an hour at a time," he quickly responded. "I'm sure I can manage three weeks.

Now Weiss was growing frustrated. "You know, out of the list of things I could say about you, I never thought 'petty' and 'immature' would show up on there."

Jackson shrugged. "Even after seven years, it seems like you can still learn something new about someone."

"Goddammit Jackson, why can't you let this go?"

"Because you didn't tell me about you and that blue-haired fella until it fell out of your control and made itself known of its own accord." By this point, Jackson had put away his Scroll and was talking to Weiss eye to eye.

"You hadn't shown any personal interest in me until we were on the train, by which point I didn't have ample time to explain to you. And _Neptune_ , had already expressed his interest long before you did. But Jackson, you need to understand, nothing ever came of it. There was no official relationship between us, Hell, we hadn't even kissed like you and I did. It was just a stupid hug!"

"It was a stab in the heart!" Jackson shouted, slamming his hands on the table, and startling Weiss. "He could've just done as much as hold your hand, it doesn't change what I saw in his eyes when he looked at you. He was worried for you, he was concerned for your safety, he _cared_ about you in a deep way, something I had too, but he just beat me to it in showing it to you. And you don't _need_ a kiss to show that." He looked to the side, away from Weiss as he kept his hands on the table, right where they were when he struck it in anger. He was surprised to feel a pair of small, soft hands gently hold his own.

Looking back, he saw Weiss holding them, with something in her ice blue eyes, something warm and soft. "Jackson," she softly responded. "Neptune didn't beat you to showing me that you care. You showed me that years ago. Whether it was as a friend or something more, know that I saw that in _your_ eyes, back in your village. I knew that you wouldn't let anything bad happen to me if anything ever were to happen."

Jackson felt a hand be placed on his shoulder, and looking to his right, he found… _himself_. But not the one of nightmares, it was just him, a normal version of himself. "She's right," he said. "You and I both know it. Put it to rest Jackson, don't continue to drag this out any more before it turns into something we won't be able to fix."

'… _What the hell?'_ Jackson thought. ' _Why is it me, and not DJ?'_ As he asked himself that question, he looked back to his own hands on the table, and for a split second, his skin turned dead white with black veins showing through it. It began to blink in and out of existence for a few moments, until he quickly pulled his hands away from the table, and looked at them front and back. The vision stopped, and it was his normal skin color.

Weiss was a bit worried about Jackson after he jerked his hands away. "Jackson? Are you alright?"

Jackson barely heard her as he still looked at his hands in slight fear. "Yeah," he responded. "Yeah, I'm fine, just had a sudden realization is all." He took a deep breath. "Listen, Weiss-"

But before he could get another word out, the doors to the dining hall opened, and Klein stepped inside towards the pair. "Excuse me, Mr. Wesson? Master Schnee would like to see you in his office to speak to you."

Both looked at Klein, with essentially the same thought running through both their heads. ' _Ah shit.'_

Klein seemed to have known what was going through their heads, because he spoke up again. "Don't worry, Jackson isn't in any trouble, Mr. Schnee would just like to have a word with him."

Jackson looked at Weiss, who had a look of great worry. "Well, it'll have to wait, I guess." He stood up from his chair and walked over to Klein. Klein simply nodded and began to lead Jackson to Jacques' office. Before he stepped out of view however, Jackson looked back at Weiss, and waved to her goodbye. Weiss slowly waved goodbye back, upset that he didn't get to say what he wanted to say to her, as well as worry, regardless of what Klein assured her of.

She knew her father, and she knew that Jackson was in for something.

…

It didn't take long for Jackson to arrive to Jacques' office, apparently it wasn't that far from the dining room.

"Here you are, Mr. Wesson," Klein said. "Master Schnee is inside waiting for you." Klein blinked, and his eyes were now red, which threw Jackson around for a loop. "I'd watch myself if I were you." Even the way he spoke was different. His voice had a more grounded-up sound to it, and he had some form of accent to go with it. "Bastard can be a real hothead when he wants to be, but you didn't hear that from me." He left without another word, leaving Jackson by himself to meet Jacques. With a deep breath, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

When he opened the door, Jackson was impressed with what he saw. The office was rather lavish looking, with bookshelves that span the entire length of both walls, each one nearly packed with various books. A nice blue carpet was in the middle of the room, with a blue desk in the middle of it as well. Towards the end of the room, after raising three steps, was Jacques' desk, with a crystal chandelier hanging from above, and three paintings hanging behind him. Two of the paintings were portraits of a natural landscape, all in blue. In the middle, was a portrait of Jacques when he was a dashing young man, in a white suit and a head full of black and youthful hair. And sitting at his desk was none other than the CEO himself.

Jacques gestured to the open chair across from him. "Have a seat," he stated. In a silent manner, Jackson walked towards the seat and sat down.

There was a moment of passing silence before Jacques finally spoke up. "What do you know about me?"

The bluntness of the question caught Jackson off guard. "What?"

"Come on boy, need I repeat myself? What do you know about me?"

This time Jackson had an answer for Jacques this time. "You're the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, which could very well be considered one of, if not, the biggest corporation on Remnant. You married into the business with Viktoria as your wife and took over once the founder, Nicholas Schnee, grew weary and wasn't fit to run the company any longer. Through you, the company grew exponentially and turned into the monopoly business it's known as today."

Jacques nodded as he heard it all. "And what of the rumors? The negative things said about me?"

"Are you sure you want to hear them?"

"I wouldn't be a CEO if I wasn't capable of stomaching the slander thrown in my direction. It virtually comes in the job description."

He had a point. "Alright." Jackson took a breath. "According to rumors, you're a racist, a cheapskate, a selfish bastard, a heartless monster, just to name a few. Anything they could use to taint your reputation they've already used. In today's world, corporation can mean corruption and evil. Being the head of the biggest Dust exporter in Remnant makes you Evil Incarnate."

"…Sounds about right," Jacques remarked. "And what do you personally make of the slander?"

"Well it's like I said, they're just rumors, and I haven't been given any physical proof that can solidify its credibility… for most of them." Jackson clenched the armrests a bit tighter. "However, striking your wife isn't helping your case much."

"Hm." Jacques simply sat there, staring at Jackson with his hands clasped together. "Speaking of, it was a rather reckless move on your part to do what you did. It could have ended very poorly for you otherwise."

"I'm still here, aren't I?" Jackson asked. "Which brings me to my next question. Why _am_ I still here? After that, I'd have thought I'd be escorted out of the Manor."

"Truth be told, I'm wondering that myself." There was something in his eyes however, something Jackson saw, that led him to believe Jacques knew exactly why he was still here. "I'm sure you were well aware of the risky position you were in when you intervened. It didn't seem like who you were dealing with hadn't swayed you in the slightest."

"Influence and power like yours have little effect when you have nothing to lose." Jackson gave Jacques a hard stare.

Jacques nodded. "Not many people like you are left in this world. Influence, Lien, and power can change the attitude of almost everyone you come across. You remind me of your father in that sense."

Jackson immediately tensed up. "You knew my dad?"

"Not on any personal level, no. A good few of my colleagues were patrons at his establishment, and I've only ever interacted with him once in my life, so he could get me…" Reaching underneath the desk, he pulled out a wooden box, beautifully engraved with intricate designs, and opened it up. Inside, resting on a blue velvet cushioning and mold, was a Colt M1911, designed in a white-and-blue pattern with a muzzle brake and an extended barrel to it. "This."

"That's quite the decorated firearm you've got there, Mr. Schnee," Jackson said, admiring the weapon.

"You have your father to thank for that," Jacques responded in a monotone manner. "He charged a hefty price for the engraving of the weapon, since he does it himself by hand, but he assured me it was worth every Lien spent. Of course, not having any prior experience with the man, I thought it was a scandalous price to charge, and demanded he lower it. He said there's no negotiation, and that the price is the price. The only discounts he gave out were to his own mother and the God of Light, and his mother didn't own any guns, according to him. So unless I was able to pull out a divine being out of my pocket, I'd have to pay in full."

…

Go back twenty-something years, and there was Jacques Schnee and Michael Wesson in the quaint little firearms shop, 'discussing' the price for engraving a handgun.

" _I attempted to threaten him by saying I'd run his business to the ground, leaving him with not a penny to his name… he didn't seem to take kindly to it."_

Michael placed his hands on the clear countertop as he leaned in. "Now listen here, Schnee. I know who you are, and what your connections are, but I don't take no threats from anyone, regardless of status. You can either pay the price on the tag, or you can take your damn business elsewhere."

Jacques didn't appear to be backing down. "Keep testing me. You'll be nothing without this precious business of yours."

"Oh, see that's where you're wrong, pal. I don't need this business to keep living life just fine and dandy. People would still know me for who I am. But what about you? If both of us were to suddenly wake up one day with nothing to our names, I can guarantee you that I'd be ten times the man you'd be. Plus this is pretty petty of you, to argue over pricing when you're one of the richest men in all of Remnant doing business in a local shop. Wonder what your colleagues would think of you. You aren't the only big fish in the pond I serve here, what if word got out?"

"Are you blackmailing me?" Jacques accused him.

Michael smirked at him. "You're damn right I am. Big man wants to resort to his money to get his way? Little man like myself is gonna have to resort to some dirty tactics to even the playing field." Jacques stared at Michael, with the man refusing to look away from him and holding the stare.

What felt like an eternity passed, before Jacques let out a dry chuckle, and pulled out a Lien card. "Quite the brave man you are, refusing to heed. That, or you're a bonafide idiot."

Michael smiled as he took the Lien card and ran it through. "I like to think I'm a mixture of both."

And so, the purchase was made, and in a few weeks' time, Michael kept up his end of the bargain.

…

"I hate to admit it, but he was a man of his word," Jacques said. "The work he put into this gun was worth every lien. His craftsmanship was exquisite." He looked at Jackson, cocked the gun, and aimed it at him.

Jackson was so busy listening intently on Jacques' one and only interaction he had with his father, that by the time Jacques had pointed the gun at him and pulled back the hammer, he had just snapped back into reality. He clenched his jaw and stayed seated, his grip tightening on the armrests of the chair as he stared intensely at Jacques.

"Now I'm no expert by any means when it comes to firearms," he said, "but a .45 round isn't merely something you can shrug off at point-blank range either, even for a Huntsman in training."

"You'd be surprised how well Aura can absorb damage," Jackson replied in a careful, but cold manner.

"I may have security all throughout the Manor, but sometimes it feels like the only man you can trust is yourself, especially in my position of power. Doesn't hurt to have a little protection of my own." As he held the gun against Jackson's head, there was a change in his eyes, but Jackson didn't know what. "Are you willing to protect those you love, whatever the cost?"

Jackson didn't know where he was going, and quite frankly, he didn't want to know where it led. As Jackson answered, his hand was already gripping his revolver in preparation for what would come next. "Yes, I'd give up everything to save those I care about."

"Even if it meant taking a bullet for them?"

His hand froze. Now he knew what his game was. Jackson took his hand off Titan, and put it back on the armrest. "You're damn right."

Jacques took it in, before he spoke again. "If I fire off this gun, you'd stick to your promise of taking a bullet for those you loved?"

"Yes, and you better hope that bullet does the job first go."

"And if it doesn't?"

His eyes flashed red for a moment. "…Words can't even describe what'll ensue."

Jacques searched his eyes for lies, deceit, anything that would prove otherwise against his statement, but found none. For the first time in Jackson's time here, he saw Jacques smile. "Good." Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

 _Click!_

Jackson slightly jumped in his seat as well as blink when he heard the empty handgun firing. Meanwhile, Jacques began putting away the Colt, back in its box and away from sight. "Allow me to set the record straight: I do indeed care about my family."

"Yeah, well you've got a unique way of showing that love," Jackson remarked.

"Only because they refuse to listen," Jacques responded back sharply. "Look at it from my perspective. One of the most wealthy and powerful families in Remnant, and the mother and daughter decide to muck about without security out in public, and the daughter has decided to attend a school away from family, and out of reach. Business associates and family friends have gone missing and executed in an attempt to reach us or force us to meet their demands. Everyone hopes to attain success at this level, but it doesn't come without a cost."

"But striking your wife?" Jackson asked incredulously. He understood where the man was coming from, but he couldn't allow such acts of violence just to get a message like this across. "Haven't you ever spoken to them about your concerns for their safety?"

"You don't think I haven't? Multiple times I've tried to convince them that they're in danger-"

"Without making it appear as if you're blatantly berating them for their recklessness in a demeaning tone?"

"It isn't easy keeping a level head with the amount of stress on my shoulders." Jacques scoffed and looked away. "Why am I even speaking to you about this? As if you'd know their predicament-"

"I know about the attempted kidnapping, Mr. Schnee," Jackson interrupted.

His statement caused Jacques to freeze, but only for a moment before regaining his previous attitude in an attempt to cover up his moment of shock. "What are you on about? What attempted kidnapping?"

"The one that took place in this very Manor, within your own walls, inside your own home, organized by the White Fang to abduct the heiress to the SDC, your own daughter, _my friend_ , Weiss Schnee."

Jacques' look of annoyance and nonchalance melted away, and was quickly replaced with one of disbelief, and a mixture of fear and anger. He aggressively planted his hands on his desk and leaned in towards Jackson. "How the hell do you know about that? I spent a fortune trying to cover that up!"

"And as far as I'm aware, you've done a damn good job of keeping it from spreading throughout the public," Jackson replied. "But the criminal underground wouldn't let go of it for weeks once word slipped out, most likely from a White Fang grunt. It started out as a rumor, but gained traction fast."

Jacques calmed down a bit once he heard the rumor portion, but still feared that his intense reaction might have gave it away. "And how do you know it's nothing more than a rumor?"

"Because when I brought it to Weiss' attention, she made no effort to deny anything I said about that event. As a matter of fact, she seemed to be a bit hung up about it when I brought it up, and your reaction towards the 'rumor' isn't helping you."

"Now listen here, _**boy**_." Jacques was now emanating an intense aura, a restricted fury. "I may have allowed your previous stunt to slip by, but if you make _any_ attempt to release this out to the public, so help me God I will-"

He knew where Jacques was going with this, and went to diffuse the tension. "Relax, I don't have any intention of spilling this to anyone. Think about it, the only proof I have is your current reaction and Weiss' lack of denial to what transpired that night. Do you really think that anyone is going to believe that from a kid that seemingly popped out of the woodwork a few months ago, with no background, and a supposed connection to the Schnee family?"

Seconds of silence passed as Jacques mulled it over, even though they felt like minutes more than seconds. Slowly, he sat back down in his chair. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Even if you did try and come out with it, of course I'd deny any connections between us, for myself and on behalf of my daughter and wife."

Jackson nodded, glad that Jacques thought about this in a rational manner. "There you go. I'm just a kid in the eyes of the media, who's gonna believe me?" He allowed a moment of silence to pass before speaking up again. "So, before we went off on a tangent, you were talking about how I didn't care for power or influence."

Jacques began to collect himself. "Yes, that, and in case you've already forgotten, let me reiterate: call me what you want, a racist, a monster, call me the Devil himself if you so please. It doesn't matter what people call me, what matters is that regardless of how I'm portrayed, I've always cared for the wellbeing of my family."

"And what does that have to do with me?" He asked. "You just called me in here to let me know that you're not the big bad man people make you out to be?"

"I couldn't care less about what you think of me, it's more than that." Jacques leaned back in his chair. "You see, as I've mentioned before, there's a scarce few of people like you out in this world. People who don't care for how much money one makes, or how many connections that person has. In the face of adversity, you're either fearless, or you simply do not care. The end result is the same: a willingness to take on even the biggest challenges, without a moment's hesitation. That's what reminded me of your father, when you intervened in that moment. Michael's defiance had a rustic charm to it, and while it was unfortunate that I had to be on the receiving end of both counts for you and him, you possess that same quality. It's a quality that I need now, more than ever."

Now Jackson was equal parts curious and confused. "Where's this heading?"

"I want to make a deal with you," Jacques responded.

"What kind of deal?"

"I want you to protect my daughter during her time at Beacon."

Now this was something that Jackson wasn't expecting. Here he thought he was finally going to be kicked out when he first set foot into Jacques' office, and now he's being offered a job by the man. "…What?" His response had a tone of disbelief to it.

"With Weiss deciding to attend Beacon in Vale instead of the Huntsman academy here in Atlas, it's grown increasingly difficult to keep an eye on her, especially with her actively ignoring me and excluding me from her life. It's very frustrating, but at times it still leaves me worried for her safety. I'm not sure if you were aware of it or not, but that breach of Grimm in the city of Vale left me with almost no choice but to bring her back to Atlas. Her hellbent arguments against the decision, as well as Viktoria's reasoning were the only things that kept her in that forsaken Kingdom. But if I were to have you alongside her, keeping an eye out for her safety, it just might allow me to relax a bit in terms of her safety, and keep tabs on her.

"You'd be paid just the same as if you were a security guard here in the Manor, 60,000 Lien a year, for the next four years, during your time there at Beacon. You'll report to me on a monthly, if not weekly basis on how things are occurring. Should an emergency arise, you are to contact me immediately and let me know. It'll be one of the only things that will be keeping her there. Too long of a period without a report, and I'll come get her myself and pull her out. She mustn't be aware that I've assigned you to watch over her, this is only to be kept between you and I."

It was a lot of information thrown at Jackson, which left him a bit overwhelmed as he tried to process it all. Jacques' growing impatience is what snapped him out of it. "Well, do we have a deal?"

Jackson lightly shook his head to clear his mind before he responded to Jacques' offer. "No deal."

He was slightly taken aback, to say the least. "Excuse me?"

"I said no deal." There was more confidence in his statement the second time around. "I'm not just someone you can hire and boss around as you please to keep tabs on Weiss." Before Jacques had any time to respond, Jackson continued. "But, I'll make you a promise. I may not take you up on your job offer, but that doesn't mean I won't look out for her and protect her if I have to.

"I've had the honor of having her as a friend for seven years of my life. She means the world to me, plus her and Viktoria are some of the few remaining pieces I still have left of that life. I'm not about to let anything terrible happen to her, not unless they've already dealt with me and put me six feet under. And they better put me under six feet of dirt before they try anything, because it's not guaranteed that I'll stay down. You won't have a contract with my signature on it, but you'll have my word as her friend, that I'll protect her until my dying breath."

Jacques was visibly upset that Jackson hadn't accepted his job offer, since it left him without control over his actions as he normally would with his other employees… but like he stated earlier, he's like his father. Hopefully that defiance and courage in the face of adversity will continue to show and pass on in the time ahead. "…I still want weekly check-ins about Weiss' time at Beacon."

"You'll get biweekly reports," Jackson responded. "She'll be safe, I promise you."

Jacques was seriously thinking this over, deciding on whether or not he'd be willing to work with what he's been given. It's not a lot, but it's certainly more than what he had before. "…Alright, have it your way. But I want each report sent to me in a punctual manner, at a specific time each date."

"I can make that happen."

"Good." Jacques closed his eyes and breathed out through his nose. "Now that relieves me of some of the stress I've had to deal with." He opened his eyes back up and looked directly at Jackson. "Now go, leave this office. No one is to know what we discussed, especially Weiss. If you must, string together some white lie to keep the true nature of this meeting a secret."

Jackson thought Jacques was being a bit paranoid about keeping what they discussed a secret, but he didn't argue and nodded to him as he stood up to leave. Without speaking a word, he turned around and walked back to the entrance of the office, taking this moment to take one last look around at the decorative art pieces and books.

Just as he reached the door and opened it to leave, Jacques called out to him one last time. "One more thing, before you go." Jackson turned his head to face him. "Thank you, for being willing to look out for my daughter."

Jackson nodded and stepped out, closing the door behind him, to leave Jacques with nothing but his thoughts.

Outside of the office, Jackson was running through the entire interaction in his head as he began to make his way back to the kitchen. A part of him still thought that what just happened was too surreal to be actuality. He even considered that he was dreaming, though that was quickly tossed aside for actual ridiculousness. Before long, he finally made it back to the dining hall, only for what he encountered inside to snap him out of his thoughtful state.

Sitting at the table, with plates and utensils, were three familiar faces digging into a recognizable orange dessert. Weiss, Viktoria, and even Sergei were partaking in the pumpkin pie Jackson had baked with Rosita. When they heard the door open, they briefly paused to see who the new presence was, and saw Jackson standing there, staring back at them.

Viktoria was the first to speak up. "Oh, hello Jackson! I hope you don't mind, but I took it upon myself to try out your pie. I didn't know you baked, and quite well at that!"

"Da!" Now Sergei spoke up. "This pumpkin pie is a delicious treat for my cheat day!"

"Didn't you start your diet a few days ago, Sergei?" Viktoria questioned.

"Cheat day came very early when I found out there was pumpkin pie," Sergei defended himself. "Reminds me of childhood, when mother used to bake pies for special occasions."

Jackson looked over to Weiss, who merely shrugged in response. "I didn't want to be left out of this, plus I had never tried pumpkin pie before. First time for everything."

"And?" Was Jackson's only question.

Weiss responded with a smile. "You should bake more often."

That brought a small smile to Jackson's face. "Did you all at least save a piece for me?"

"I did," Viktoria piped up, holding a plate of pie up for him to see. "It was quite hard to do so, Sergei seemed hell-bent on taking it, practically had to fight him off with a stick."

"The boy doesn't need it!" Sergei said as a last-ditch effort to obtain an extra slice. "He's training to learn new techniques. His body must be treated like a temple, and shouldn't be tarnished with such junk food!"

"And you're the one training him, you should be doing the same," Viktoria rebutted.

"He doesn't even have me breaking a sweat yet! Just think of this as making it easier for him to beat me during our sessions."

"Hush up and eat the slice you already have, you greedy mountain man."

Sergei humphed at her remark. "It's not often someone bakes a pumpkin pie in this household…" he muttered under his breath.

Jackson chuckled and walked over to the table to finally enjoy a piece of the pie he baked. "If it makes you feel any better, I might bake another one in the future, Sergei."

It certainly caught his attention, as his slouch disappeared and a smile graced his face. All three of them laughed at Sergei's sudden 180-degree turn at the mention of more pie, and all took part in the camaraderie that came from sharing the simple yet tasty dessert.

…

 _Patch Island_

 _One Week Later_

Deep in the dense forest located on Patch, Yang and Ruby were at their home, enjoying their month off of school to the fullest extent- by simply relaxing and enjoying what the day had to offer. And alongside them to enjoy the peace with, was Yang's significant other, Gage Sim.

Both Gage and Yang were sitting on the back porch, watching Ruby dash around the backyard playing with Zwei as he chased her down. For a Corgi with stubby legs, the dog was damn quick. All three of them wore clothing far more casual than their usual attire: Ruby had on a pair of black shorts, a red sleeveless hoodie and some running shoes, meanwhile Yang wore an orange t-shirt, some baggy pants and a pair of old sneakers. The sneakers must have held some sort of sentimental value to her. As for Gage, his outfit was similar to Yang's, only a different color scheme. He had on a black t-shirt, less baggy sage green pants, but stuck to the combat boots for footwear. However, one thing that was different was that he didn't have his prosthetic on. Instead, it lay inside on the kitchen table, while he had his right arm wrapped around Yang. He didn't mind, it almost seemed like he was relieved to have it off for once.

Yang snuggled closer to Gage as she continued to watch Ruby and Zwei dash around like the balls of energy they were. "Thanks again for coming out here and spending time with us, Care-Bear," Yang said in a content tone.

Gage smiled and held her a little tighter. "Are you kidding? When you called me and asked if I wanted to spend your month off from Beacon, I was already on the next boat to Patch."

"Ah, so now you've finally gotten around to getting a new Scroll, huh?" Yang asked in a cheeky tone.

"Eheh, yeah…" Gage sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with his right arm, before draping over Yang's shoulder again. "But really Taiyo-Chan, I'm thankful you called. With everything that's been happening lately, and how busy I've been, I'm glad I've been given the chance to just let the days pass by, and just sit and relax. Just sitting here, and enjoying the peace and quiet the forest offers." Gage sighed. "Especially with you."

Yang blushed a bit, but still smiled nonetheless. "What, you growing tired of traveling around the world, Care Bear?"

"Well I'm not exactly there for sightseeing, now am I?" Gage asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, fair point." They both fell silent, going back to watching Ruby giggle and laugh like a kid, which caused Yang to chuckle. "It's crazy to think that my little sister is going with me to a Huntsman academy, the youngest to ever attend as far as I'm aware."

"I know what you mean," Gage replied. "I mean, look at Rubes. She looks like cuteness incarnate, with her small frame and innocent eyes and personality, but put her in the middle of a scrap," Gage whistled for a good long moment. "I'd feel sorry for the poor schmucks that are on the receiving end."

"Honestly, I'm kinda jealous," Yang said in a half-serious-half-joking manner. " I'm proud of her and everything, but early admission, like _super_ early admission, nonetheless? What does Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon, see in her that gets him to let her join early?"

"You gotta admit, she's pretty talented already as it is," Gage said. "And she shows a lot of promise. She can already hold her own pretty damn well against the Grimm with Crescent Rose and keep pace with others two years older than her, imagine what she'll be able to do after four years at a place like Beacon."

"And what about me?" Yang asked him, a loaded question thrown his way.

"You'll practically be a force of nature by the time you're finished. My Taiyo-Chan's already capable of busting balls and faces in equal succession, no one'll be able to stop her four years from now."

Yang smiled and snuggled closer to Gage. "Damn right."

Gage chuckled, and they resumed their peaceful silence… which didn't last for long.

Gage's Scroll went off in his left pocket, and he went to go reach for it, before realizing he left his prosthetic inside. With a small irritated sigh, he used his right arm and awkwardly reached into his left pocket to fish out his Scroll. With a bit of effort, he finally pulled it out and was just about to answer it, before Yang spoke up.

"Is that work?" She questioned, with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "You said you wouldn't be taking any calls while you were here."

"I know, I know," he said. "But the thing is, I told my contacts that I'd be taking some time off, and to not disturb. If one of them is calling, then it's gotta be urgent."

Yang only huffed in response, which Gage took as a begrudging resentment, before finally answering. "What is it? I told you about calling me at this time." Gage was also just as annoyed that they called him, but he made it more evident to the caller than Yang did to Gage.

"Yeah, I know, and I wouldn't have bothered if it wasn't important." It was his contact within the White Fang.

"All the shit I do is important, what makes this stand out from the rest?"

"The White Fang are planning a hit on the Schnee Manor today, during a charity event the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company has going on right now."

"And you're telling me this now, as it's going on? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Adam's been really on edge lately, not a lot of people have been able to get calls out at the base. Hell, I shouldn't even be speaking to you right now."

"Then why _are_ you talking to me? I can't do anything about it now, I'm in Patch! No way I'd be able to get there in time, let alone get in." Gage was starting to get upset now, not seeing where he was going with this. "And why would they even try to go for a hit on the Manor? The place has been turned into a damn fortress in recent years, almost no way for unauthorized personnel to get in or out of there."

"Let me get to the point, dammit!" The man exclaimed. "It's not on the Manor itself, it's someone that's _in_ the Manor. And they don't intend on sending anyone inside to do the job, they've got a sniper set up a mile out in a Bullhead with an atlas 20mm at his disposal. They're gonna try to pull off a Hail Mary at this event."

"And how am I gonna relay that message? I don't have any contacts in the Manor!"

"Yes you do," the contact said. "He's the same person you've got me working that case on."

' _The same person as the one on the ca'_ It quickly clicked for Gage. "Jackson? What's he doing there?"

"I don't know, but someone from the Fang managed to plant a bug on him. Don't know how they did it, but they can track his location from all four corners of Remnant. Ain't he really close to that heiress chick?"

"Weiss?"

"Yeah, her. I'm guessing she brought him in, otherwise he'd have had no other way of being there. But that's not all."

"Jesus Christ, what now? Why do you have to be so cryptic? Just come out with it already!"

"He's not just your contact inside the Manor," he said.

"He's also the _target._ "

…

 _Schnee Manor_

 _Day of the charity event_

Jackson was in his room, wearing the suit that Viktoria had tailored for him during his trip to his dad's old shop. It finally arrived to the Manor a few days ago, and has been sitting in in his room. He hadn't worn it until just now, since he figured the tailors knew what they were doing. He had most of it on, all that remained was the tie… which is what Jackson seemed to be struggling with the most.

"Damn neck trap, it feels like I'm slowly killing myself by self-strangle." He was practically fighting the line of cloth, and it was winning. Jackson had to undo and redo the tie more times than he'd care to admit, because he would skip a step or repeat the same one twice.

A knock came from the door to his room. "Jackson? You alright in there?" It was Viktoria.

"I'm fine, Viktoria," Jackson called out from the bathroom in front of the mirror. "Just can't get… this damn tie… to cooperate!"

He could hear muffled laughter coming from just outside, to which he mumbled under his breath some more insults toward the tie. Then he heard the door open, with Viktoria's reflection appearing in the mirror. "Mind if I lend a hand?"

"Please. Honestly, a clip-on would have been much better."

"Now where would be the dignity in that?" Viktoria teased. "Lemme see." Jackson relented in his struggle against the tie, and turned to face Viktoria.

After a quick look-over, she undid the whole thing and started from the beginning. "You were on the right track, but you seemed to have added a step of your own into the mix." Not a minute passed until she was finished. "There we go. Now, tuck the tie into your vest and let's go join the rest outside."

"Alright." Jackson shoved the tie into his vest and took a look at himself in the mirror. He wore a pair of black dress pants, and he had on a black vest with a dark grey dress shirt underneath with the sleeves rolled up, and a maroon red tie. For the event, he decided to ditch the combat boots just this once, and went with dress shoes instead. He even shaved for the occasion, so his facial hair was all gone and replaced with a clean and smooth face. Meanwhile Viktoria was wearing an elegant light blue dress, with a floral pattern woven in at the base of it.

She was already out the door by the time Jackson was done looking at himself in the mirror. "Well come on! We don't have all day."

"I'm coming, I'm coming." At last, Jackson stepped out of his room and joined Viktoria in the hallway.

She smiled as he looked at him. "Oh, how you look so handsome all dressed up."

Jackson blushed. "Oh, god, now you're sounding like mom."

"Well it's true. Plus I don't think she was even capable of lying."

"She was too kind to ever lie to anyone." Jackson talking about his deceased mother had him choke up a little, but because he was talking about her to Viktoria, it was therapeutic, in a way.

Viktoria put a hand on his shoulder. "She'd have been proud to see what you've grown up to be. Now come, let's not wallow in the past, let's enjoy the evening."

"Right." Jackson nodded and followed Viktoria as she began to head to the outdoor garden, where the charity event is currently happening.

It wasn't long before both of them found themselves outside in the gardens of the Manor, and it was absolutely packed. Not only were there multiple people dressed in fancy suits or dresses, businessmen and political figures with their spouses, but they had all sorts of waiters and waitresses bustling about, holding trays and handing out drinks to the attendees. Journalists from every news station, large and small, were at the event with either a cameraman at the ready or their Scrolls livestreaming the whole thing. The SDC charity event always brought a lot of attention from media outlets and other corporations, since it helped with keeping up the reputation it tries to retain. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves here, though whether that's because they're already drunk or not is not clear to Jackson.

He didn't have all that much time to look at the party guests before Viktoria began to drag him through the crowd. "Come on, don't get hung up in the mingling." As she pulled him through the pool of people, Jackson got multiple looks from the others as they passed. Some were side glances, a quick notice of his presence and nothing, and others were full-on stares. Some were those of judgements… and others were seemingly filled with lust, which was what got to Jackson the most and making him feel uncomfrotable the most.

"Um, why are there so many people staring at me?" He asked while still being led by Viktoria.

"Hm? Oh that. Well, your presence is more noticeable than most here, mainly because of your build and height," she said in such a casual manner. "It also explains why you've been getting some, certain looks, from the women here."

' _Yeah, you're telling me…'_ Jackson didn't notice it until just now, but Weiss was currently on a stage they had set up outside for speeches and performances, and she was on said stage right now, singing one of her older, but still revered songs, _Mirror Mirror_. Her voice was as angelic as ever before, and Viktoria noticed his look of awe.

"She always had a gift for singing, since from a young age, but you already knew that." That was also the direction Viktoria was taking him.

Weiss looked absolutely beautiful onstage as she sang. She wore an ice blue dress that appeared similar to Viktoria's in design, though the dress didn't extend all the way down to her feet, but instead ended at her knees. Her's also had a floral pattern, but it was much more simplified than that of her mother's and wore high heels. Everything about her in that moment was perfect.

"Alright." Viktoria's voice snapped him out of his trance. "I need to go find my husband, he's going to be giving a speech soon, and he'd like me to accompany him on stage, a sort of family thing. Don't wander off." And with that, she disappeared in the crowd to find Jacques, leaving Jackson all by himself in the sea of people.

He didn't really know what to do or where to go once Viktoria left, which made him look like a little kid lost in the mall. Thankfully, he was saved from his situation when he spotted a familiar face among the crowd. "Hey, Joseph!"

He saw Joseph stumbling about in the crowd, similar to Jackson in a way, clutching a rifle in his hands, which caused his heart to leap to see it. When Jackson called him out, he turned to the source of the calling, and was partially relieved to see Jackson as he began to make his way towards him. The closer he got, the more Jackson could make out his face. He appeared to be very nervous or worried about something. But he stll had a smile on and waved to Jackson.

"Jackson, my boy!" He happily greeted. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise," Jackson responded. "Also, why do you look so worried? Is something wrong?"

"What? No!" Joseph quickly responded. "I just don't feel the safest holding this rifle. And speaking of said rifle." He outstretched his arms, giving the rifle to Jackson. "I believe this belongs to you."

Jackson was giddy to have finally gotten back Khvostov after giving it to Joseph a week before. He must have worked on this thing non-stop if he had gotten it done so quickly. "How'd you get this through security? I thought it was extremely strict for the event."

"You have Viktoria to thank for that," he said. "I wasn't aware of how strict it was until I arrived to the entrance, rifle in hand, and security stopped me dead in my tracks with weapons aimed at me, telling me to drop the weapon and to put my hands in the air. It was just about enough to give me a heart attack!"

"So? What happened?"

"Viktoria came to see what all the commotion had been about, and found me just about to get detained. She quickly stepped in and berated the security guards for how aggressively they handled the situation, like they were her own two sons. She explained to them who I was and why I brought the rifle, and they pulled me back to my feet, apologized, and allowed me in."

"Sounds like quite the entrance," Jackson chuckled.

"I still don't feel safe holding the damn thing in here, which is why I look so on edge, so just take it already!"

Jackson laughed and nodded, taking Khvostov from Joseph's grasp, and held it in his hands, and oh how good it felt to him. It looks like nothing changed about the gun, save for a few lines along the weapon for its melee transformation. He really wanted to change it to its melee counterpart and watch the transformation, but that would be more dangerous than an unloaded rifle, plus the moving parts would attract attention and possibly scare the other guests. Instead, he admired the gun from all angles, even went through the loading mechanism just because he could. "Wow Joseph, it looks just the same as it was before I gave it to you, it's like you didn't even tou-"

 _*clink!* *clink!*_

Jackson stopped mid-sentence as he pulling the action back, and saw a live round spat out from the ejection port, and clink to a stillness on the ground between them.

An awkward silence passed between the two of them as they stared at the live round on the floor, before Jackson quickly looked back at Joseph with slight panic audible in his voice. "This thing is loaded?!" He fiercely whispered to Joseph.

Joseph looked just as surprised to see the bullet eject, but he did have a reason as to why. "I-I was test firing the rifle at a local gun range in Atlas to make sure it worked accordingly after I converted it's melee function. I must've forgotten to empty the magazine of any bullets I left in it!"

Jackson quickly hunched over and picked up the round. "Well, at least the guards didn't check to see if the damn thing was loaded, otherwise things could have escalated if you had proven their point of walking up with a-" He stopped mid-sentence as he began to inspect the bullet closer. "Wait a minute… is this an explosive round?"

Joseph sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Ehehe… I might've gotten a bit excited firing the weapon, and decided to take it up a notch."

Jackson quickly pocketed the bullet and switched on the safety on Khvostov, visibly upset about it. "Let's hope security doesn't question me about it, since they should know I own this gun."

For the event, Jacques had all available security personnel ready to act if anything should happen, and swap out members while the rest remain on standby. Most were armed with SMGs and sidearms, while those that remained were decked out with sniper rifles. Of those composing the snipers, most had M24s, a simple but reliable bolt-action rifle, however there was one exception. It was a bit of overkill/paranoia on Jacques' part, but one of men had a shoulder-mounted Atlas 20mm rifle at the ready. And not just any man, this man was quite strong and trained very well to use this shoulder-mounted cannon. The damn thing weighed close to 85 pounds to carry, which not only required strength, but heavily restricts movement as well. If anyone tried anything, they'd have a hell of a time getting very far with it.

"Let's hope." Just as he said that, Weiss finished with her performance on stage and began to step down to get out of the spotlight while people applauded. Jackson saw her head down and turned to Joseph quickly. "Listen, whatever happened with how the delivery of this went, I want to say thank you, really, for doing this for me. It means a lot."

Instead of looking nervous and worrisome, Joseph smiled. "Thank you for your appreciation, and you're welcome."

Jackson nodded. "Right then, I'll be off to go talk to Weiss, I'll see you around." He turned and began heading towards Weiss, placing Khvostov on his back.

As he did, people began to move out of his way much quicker than before, now that he had a gun on him. Then again, security was dressed similar to him, suit and all, only that they had a different color scheme, white and blue, and Jackson wasn't wearing the blazer to go along with the rest of the suit. Perhaps they had mistaken him for a bodyguard, or something of that nature. Regardless, it wasn't long before Jackson closed in, only to stop to see what was happening.

Weiss was in a conversation with someone else, a young man actually, most likely the son/heir of another big corporation, though he didn't care enough to figure out what. He wore an expensive looking suit, had a glass of champagne in one hand, with short curly brown hair and green eyes. Everything about him, from how he stood to how he talked just oozed snootiness and a cocky demeanor like no one would believe, and Weiss didn't seem to be enjoying one bit of it. From what Jackson could see, Weiss couldn't care less what this guy had to say, and would much rather be anywhere else. But the man was either determined, or too stubborn for his own good, because he just kept going. Eventually, Weiss saw Jackson staring out of the corner of her eye, and silently begged him to get this to stop.

He was more than happy to oblige, and with a sly grin, closed the gap between them. "Hello Weiss," Jackson called out to her, now grabbing the attention of the man.

"Hello Jackson," Weiss aptly responded, thankful to have someone else to talk to.

"That was an amazing performance, as always," he complimented.

"Why thank you," She kindly responded. "It's always said, but coming from you, it's more genuine."

"Um, excuse me." The man finally decided to intervene, as he looked at Jackson. "We were having a nice conversation, before you decided to _rudely_ interrupt us, so if you would be so kind as to scram, we'd greatly appreciate it." He even gave him a sly smile right after.

Jackson only looked at him up and down in silence for a few moments, before he turned back to Weiss. "Anyways, Joseph came by today, dropped off Khvostov, he also gives his regards to you and Viktoria. He even offered to look over Myrtenaster if you ever decide it needs an upgrade or some replacement parts."

"Oh really? I'll be sure to take him up on his offer should the need ever arise." In reality, Weiss has a personal contact she messages should her weapon fall into disrepair, but she went along with it, because she was enjoying the heir begin to get angry as they both ignored his presence.

He grabbed Jackson's shoulder and turned him around so that he was facing him. "Hey, I told you to scram? Were you not listening, do you know who I am?"

The man was privileged beyond belief, but he did not have any of the intimidation to back it up. He was only 5'10", which gave Jackson five inches on him and forced him to look up at Jackson if he wanted to stare him in the eye. Plus, he wasn't all that well built either. He was fit, sure, but not in the way meant for combat. Right now the only thing he had going for him was his background and short temper, as was evident by the anger he had in his voice.

"I am the heir to one ofthe oldest and most prominent weapons manufacturing corporations in all of Remnant! Our company mass produced hybrid weapons dating back to the Great War, breakthrough technology at it's time and the foundation for other manufacturers to go off of! I am a _very_ influential individual, and I demand you show me the respect I deserve!"

He was having the adult version of a child's tantrum, and Jackson was relishing all of it. "Wait, did you say your family manufactured some of the first hybrid weapons during the Great War?" He feigned shock, but the man took it as real, and cracked a smile, since it appeared Jackson was now realizing his status.

"That's right," he smugly said. "What you see in the hands of Huntsmen today, we did first years ago. Rifles that switched into axes and swords, pump-action shotguns that transformed into morningstar, sidearms that changed to knives and daggers, we revolutionized the art of combat."

"So you're telling me," Jackson took Khvostov off his back to show to him, while taking off the safety with an audible _click!_ "That your family made this?"

The heir was taken aback that Jackson had pulled out a gun seemingly out of the blue, but still held his ground. "T-That's right."

Jackson nodded. "I'm impressed. Eighty plus years, and this rifle is still as effective as when it first came off the assembly line." An idea suddenly popped into his head, and he now had a devilish grin on his face. He locked eyes with the heir, and said, "Kills people like you wouldn't believe."

That last part sent chills down the heir's spine. "Uh… what?"

"Oh come on, _**Colton**_ , you don't think this was a chance meeting, do you?"

Truth was, Jackson knew exactly who this person was. He was Colton Cobalt, heir to, indeed, one of the biggest names in the weapons industry, son of Jonathan Cobalt. Similar to Weiss, he's got quite a reputation, not in singing, but in sports. He's one of the top-ranked rugby players in all of Atlas, and has made it to the global semi-finals more than once. In the sport, he's usually referred to as Colt. Not only that, but the Cobalt name has been in their fair share of scandals just like the SDC, which was the angle Jackson was working.

The fact that Jackson said his name out of nowhere began to scare him a bit. "W-What are you talking about?"

"Your family's made a lot of mistakes in that past, Colt." Jackson began to slowly advance towards Colton, as he just as equally began to step away from him, his fear rising. "A lot of enemies too. Running people out of business, fatal weapon malfunctions, I could go on." Holding Khvostov in one hand, he pushed a button on the grip of the rifle, and watched it work it's magic.

The moment his finger eased away from the button, parts started shifting. The magazine was suddenly ejected, which Jackson quickly caught and pocketed away. Almost immediately, the stock compressed into a cylindrical handle, with a pommel at the end of it. Once he released his hold on the grip to instead grab the handle, the trigger receded into the gun, and the grip split right down the middle, separating itself, one half sliding all the way over until it was directly across from it's other half, now creating the guard of the sword. Everything that was still above the guard closed off all openings, the ejector port was locked shut in place, the open area where the magazine should have been put in was now closed off by two small sliding metal pieces, and the end of the barrel was closed off as well. Then, it began to take shape. The inner barrel, instead of being just closed off, began to flatten out, ridding all that extra space that still remained. Metal components began shifting, organizing themselves to form a blade. It was a sight to see, watching the bits and pieces move about accordingly, watching the rifle compress down for a more up-close combat style. Before long, everything was where it needed to be, however it didn't look sharp at all, just a dull piece of metal. That is, until they all clicked together.

The moment the blade was all pieced together, they all snapped into each other like puzzle pieces, clicking together and making the lines in between them almost nonexistent, which made it look all the more intimidating and real. Now it was a bonafide Great Sword, ready to slice and dice.

"You know, there's a sense of poetic irony to all of this," Jackson stated as he continued his advance. "The very thing you and your family created, gets to meet it's maker once more, and is now going to send you to meet _yours_."

That stopped Colton in his tracks, overwhelmed with fear and this "assassin." Jackson got real close to him, and with an evil grin, uttered one word.

"Boo."

That was enough to send Colton running, as he turned on his heels and booked it away from him as fast as he could. But during his dash, he tripped on a cable leading from one of the speakers to underneath the stage that left him fumbling with his feet as he tried to get them underneath him again. From an outside point of view, it looked like something straight out of a cartoon, where a character travels a comically long distance trying to not fall over that ultimately ends up failing regardless. As he continued to struggle, he eventually reached the end of his journey, where he crashed into one of the food tables and covered himself head to toe in all sorts of bite-sized snacks and beverages, leaving him an absolute mess.

Jackson could hardly contain himself, nor could Weiss, as everyone within earshot turned to the sound of the disturbance to see what was going on, only to find a fool covered in food and drenched. Switching Khvostov back to rifle form, and popping the magazine back in place, Jackson went towards Colton to put the cherry on top.

People were now surrounding Colton, mumbling to their colleagues about what just happened, some even silently snickering, before Jackson pushed himself through to help Colton up, acting concerned the entire time. "Mr. Cobalt, are you alright sir?"

Colton saw this, and began to slide himself back away from him. "Stay back! Please! Don't get closer!"

Jackson put his hands out in front of him as an attempt to calm him down. "Sir, I'm not here to hurt you, only to check if you're okay." With his back to everyone, Jackson grinned, and mouthed the words, ' _Gotcha, bitch.'_

The look of fear in Colton's eyes washed away as he realized what had just happened, and was quickly replaced with fury beyond comprehension. "You… SON OF A BITCH!" He lunged at Jackson with intent to wring his neck, to which Jackson responded accordingly.

Jackson dodged to the side, letting Colton fly past him. "Mr. Cobalt, please calm down," he said, but Colton was having none of it. He went for another lunge, but halfway through, he switched tactics and swung right. Jackson also dodged that, but it was a little closer this time around. "Please calm down sir, otherwise I'll have no choice but to use force."

"Cut the shit, you fucker!" Colton yelled. "You don't make a fool out me like that! I'll have you hunted down to the ends of Remnant!"

The next swing he threw at Jackson he dodged, but as he saw the fist fly by his face, he reached out and grabbed Colton's wrist, and with the forward momentum he still had, allowed it to carry Colton forward before Jackson wrenched his arm behind his back and pushed him to the ground, pinning him. Colton tried to wriggle out of it, but Jackson held strong and kept him in place. "You need to calm down, sir."

Suddenly, someone pushed their way through the crowd that gathered around the two. "What the hell is going on here? Why are you detaining my son?!"

Jackson looked up to find himself looking at Jonathan Cobalt, sharply dressed in a blue suit and sporting a pair of glasses. "Get off of him this instant!"

Jackson complied and let go of Colton at once, standing up and in a rigid posture. Once he did, Colton pushed himself off the ground and immediately went to swing at Jackson, until his father stopped him from doing so. "Don't even think about it, young man!" He turned to Jackson with a glare. "Speak."

In the most authoritative way he could muster, he spoke. "Mr. Cobalt, your son made quite the scene with his spill at the table. When I went over to check his wellbeing, he cowered away at first, before a sudden change in mood and began to lash out at me. After seeing he had no intention of letting up, I was forced to detain him to prevent things from escalating. I believe he's intoxicated, which would explain his tumble and sudden change in mood."

Jonathan turned to face his son. "Is this true?"

"No! None of it is!" Colton objected. "This bastard tried to attack me with his weapon, and now he's playing it off as some sort of security guard to make a damn fool out of me! He had a sadistic look in his eye. He's a monster I tell you!"

"With all due respect," Jackson spoke up again, "What would I gain from fabricating a story? I've no connections to you or your business."

Jonathan seemed to side with his son. "Because you'd do anything to save your skin and keep your job. My son doesn't drink, let alone get intoxicated, and when Jacques hears about this, you'll pay for your barbaric actions!"

"I beg to differ, Mr. Cobalt." Weiss appeared from the crowd, ready to give her input. "You see, just as I was making my way off stage after my performance, your son Colton approached me, though stumble would be a better term for it. His breath reeked of alcohol, and kept uttering crude compliments on my appearance. I expressed no interest, but he decided to continue." She then pointed to Jackson. "Had he not intervened when he did, it's possible that he could have made sexual advances towards me that could have ended with an… unsavory, result." That elicited a few gasps from the crowd, and a shocked look from Jonathan.

He turned to his son. "Let me smell your breath."

Colton seemed shocked that he would consider to believe their story over his. "But father, I-"

"Breath!"

Colton relented hesitantly, and exhaled so his father could see for himself. He reeled back in response. "God, Colton, the smell of alcohol is so strong!"

"Father, it's not what you think-"

"I don't want to hear another word out of you, Colton," Jonathan snapped. "You've done enough damage, and caused enough of a scene." He turned to face Weiss. "I apologize for my son's behavior, I had no clue of his actions." He grabbed his son's arm and dragged him away. "We are leaving, _now_."

Colton was stumbling as he was being pulled away, but that was because he hit his head rather hard on the way down in his fall, but now it looked like it was associated with his "intoxication." As they left, everyone could see Colton try to defend himself, but prove ultimately useless, until they were finally out of view.

Jackson breathed out a sigh of relief, and turned to face Weiss. "Thanks for having my back, Weiss. It looked like I was gonna be in serious trouble for a minute there."

"You're just lucky that I hate that man," Weiss responded. "It's the same thing, year after year with him, event after event. He's always so determined to get me to like him, you'd think he'd have given up after all this time I've shown disinterest."

"Wait, so this isn't the first time he's hit on you?"

"The Cobalts always come to the charity event, plus Jonathan and my father are good business partners. We have contracts to supply them Dust, in bulk essentially, for their Dust bullets production. "I'm just thankful I was given the opportunity to humiliate him in front of an audience. Although, that might not bode well for their company as a whole…"

"I think they'll manage," Jackson assured her. "The world always wants new and shiny guns, and as long as the Grimm remain a threat, they'll always have business."

"I suppose."

Silence passed between the two of them, and after awhile Jackson saw this as a fitting opportunity to finally get something off his chest. "Listen, Weiss, I just want to say-"

"Excuse me." Jacques' voice rang throughout the outdoor garden as he stood on the main stage, speaking into a microphone that blasted his voice through the attached speakers. "I would like my daughter, Weiss, to join me on stage before I begin."

Weiss turned to Jackson after listening to her father ask for her presence. "Well? What did you want to say?" She asked a bit eagerly.

Jackson opened his mouth to respond, but then thought otherwise. "It can wait until after the announcement. I don't want to keep your dad waiting."

Weiss deflated a bit, but understood. "Oh, okay." She turned and went to meet her father on stage, standing beside him.

…

Meanwhile, Ethan was watching the heiress depart from Jackson through a high-powered scope a mile out from the charity event in an idle Bullhead.

For the last week, Ethan had been practicing his firing with the .50 Caliber rifle, adjusting to the new rifle, the low temperatures, and the harsh wind conditions that occur on a somewhat frequent basis. He couldn't shiver while he was aiming this far out, who knows where the bullet would end up going otherwise. Fortunately for him, the high-powered scope had a built-in rangefinder that's good for a mile and a half, and a wind meter to catch wind speeds and adjust accordingly. He's looked over the security at the event, and right now his only credible threat is the sniper on the roof with the 20mm. The rifle has an effective firing range that's triple the .50 Cal, which would make for no hassle for an experienced marksman to wield and shoot a mile out. As for Jacques, his secondary target, he doesn't mind going through a few security bodies to drop him.

The pilot called out from the cockpit. "Hey kid, how long you gonna take to get this mission done? This bird can only stay in the air for so long."

"Don't rush me," Ethan quickly shot back. "I know these Bullheads can fly for hours on end, don't act like it's gonna suddenly fall out of the sky. Besides, we need to wait for all the attention to be focused on Jacques."

The pilot mumbled something profane under his breath, but Ethan didn't care to find out what it was. Right now, he was focused on ridding this world of two monsters.

…

When Weiss finally met his father on stage and stood next to him, Jacques spoke. "I'd like to thank you all for coming out and attending the charity event this lovely evening." There was soft applause from the guests, and it was true. For Atlas, the weather seemed much nicer than normal, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and there were no winds coming from any direction it seems, which makes Ethan's job much easier to carry out.

"Tonight, we come together and give back to the community for what it's done for us, and the good fortune we've experienced. But this year is different compared to the years prior, for you see, the walls of Vale were breached, putting dozens of people in danger, and unfortunately, leaving some killed either in the initial blast, or by the horde of Grimm that crawled out soon after." Jacques reached to his side and set his hand on Weiss' shoulder. "Had it not been for my daughter, and the brave students of Beacon Academy, many more could have fallen victim to creatures of darkness." More applause came from the crowd, but this time with more vigor and a few cheers scattered throughout the group. Scrolls from the news people and journalists were recording the entire thing, saving every second of it.

Jackson had been clapping as well at the mention of the bravery of Beacon for containing the Grimm, when he felt his Scroll vibrate in his pocket. Fishing it out, he found that Gage had been calling him, since there was a whopping ten missed calls from him, and immediately answered the 11th call. "Hello? Gage?"

"WHY THE HELL HAVEN'T YOU PICKED UP, I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU FOR THE LAST SEVEN MINUTES!"

Jackson reeled back from his Scroll since he had it right up to his ear to better hear him because of Jacques speaking in the background. Now he put him on speaker and opened up the camera feed so they could talk digital-face-to-digital-face. "Damn dude, calm down, I had my Scroll on vibrate. What's with all the freaking out?"

When he opened the camera, he saw Gage, with a very concerned/worried look on his face. "You need to get out of there, right now."

"What's that? I can't hear you." The applause coming from the crowd was drowning out Gage's voice, and didn't allow Jackson to hear him. "Give me a second, I need to get away from the audience to hear you better."

"No! Don't do that Jay! Stay in the crowd!" But he still couldn't hear him, so he continued his push through the crowd for space and silence.

Ethan saw Jackson begin to exit the crowd, and he smiled to himself. He was making it all the easier for him to take him out.

Before long, Jackson was finally able to detach himself from the crowd, and leaned against a column next to a security guard. "Alright, I can actually hear you now. What were you telling me?"

"Dammit, get back in the crowd!" Gage demanded.

"Wait what? Why?"

"Because you're not safe there. You either need to get back in the crowd, or head into the Manor, _now_."

"Gage, you're not making any sense man," Jackson responded. "Why do I need to head inside? What am I exposing myself to-" He paused mid-sentence. "Wait a minute, how do you know where I am? Are you spying on me?"

"Did I hear that right? You're spying on Jackson?" A familiar voice came from somewhere off-screen, and it wasn't until a blur of the capture on camera and a protesting "Please don't, it's serious shi-!" from Gage until Jackson figured out who it belonged to, which was Yang. "And cool it with the cursing!"

"Sorry…"

"Yang?" He seemed surprised to see Yang on-screen at the moment. "What are you doing there with Gage? Aren't you supposed to be back home at Patch?"

"I am at home!" Yang quickly responded. "The guy was kind enough to spend the vacation with me and Rubes at our place. Y'know, spend some quality time together, snuggle by the fire, all that romantic stuff."

That got a chuckle out of Jackson as he heard that. "Awe, well ain't he sweet for coming out there to spend time with his girlfriend."

"Sweet as honey," she replied.

"Hand it over! I wanna say hi!" Another distinct "Hey!" coming from the blonde brawler and a blur of red later, and it was now Ruby holding the Scroll, with an excited grin. "Hi Jackson!"

Jackson chuckled again and smiled, waving into the camera. "Hi Ruby. How's your vacation been?"

"It's been relaxing, but lately it's been getting _super_ boring." Just to emphasize it, she let out an annoyed groan. "I haven't even used Crescent Rose all that much back home. Anytime Yang doesn't have her arms wrapped around Gage, she's been training me in hand-to-hand fighting, and it stinks, I'm no good at it! Like, when am I ever going to be without my precious Crescent Rose?"

"You'd be surprised, Ruby," Jackson said. "It's already happened once. Remember Mountain Glenn?"

Ruby looked down at the ground. "Yeah… I do. That's what Yang's been asking me anytime I whine about training."

"You may not like it, but you need that skill honed and ready if it ever comes down to a situation like that again. I've been getting training while I'm here too, so I've been training, same as you've been."

That lifted Ruby's spirits a bit, as she looked back at the screen. "Really?"

"Heck yeah! Sure, I can hold my own in a fight, but that's because I can take the hits and what I've got going for me is the strength I've got in my swings. I don't have any technique or form like Yang does. She's got strength and technique, and that makes for a real threat, as we've already seen for ourselves. So keep at it, alright?"

Ruby smiled and nodded. "Okay."

"'Atta girl."

There was another blur, and Gage was back on screen, looking livid. "Alright, long time no see, but dude, you've got a SERIOUS PROBLEM ON YOUR HANDS. For God's sake, you're about to be _**ASSASSINATED!**_ "

The mention of assassination immediately caught the undivided attention of all three of them. "What?" Now Jackson got serious, and Yang and Ruby were now serious/concerned.

"The White Fang have you in their sights," Gage said. "They plan on taking you out at the charity event you're at right now."

"But… why are they targeting me?" Jackson asked. "I haven't been on their radar at all except for the Breach in Vale."

"Yeah, why him?" He could hear Yang on the other end asking questions too.

"I don't know, okay? All I know is that you've got a target painted on your head, and that they're aiming at it right now."

"No, you're crazy," Jackson dismissed. "You know where I am, I'm at the Schnee Manor. This place is nothing short of a goddamn fortress. Security cameras, guards, Knights; you name it, they've got it."

While they've all been talking together, Ethan has been training his scope on Jackson this whole time, double-checking, triple-checking, that everything was accounted for, that he wouldn't miss this shot. He could feel his finger tightening on the trigger. It wasn't long now.

"Just take it from the one motherfucker you know that's been shot at by all kinds of things, and believe me when I say that they're all fucking useless!" Gage yelled.

Yang in the background, "Hey, Language!"

Ethan's finger continued to tighten.

"You don't think I know that the Schnee's house is one of the most unraidable places in all of Remnant by ground? The thing is, the White Fang aren't doing this by ground, they're doing this by air." Jackson couldn't see it, but the concern on Yang's and Ruby's faces were becoming more visible. The Scrolls were see-through, so they were still able to look at Jackson through the back of the Scroll, even though it was now inverted.

Even Jackson was starting to grow a bit concern, when far out in the distance, Jackson was seeing a small mote of light shining in his eyes. That was the scope of the rifle, reflecting the sun's light peaking over the mountains, minutes before it sets.

"They've got a Bullhead stationed a mile out from the Schnee Manor, with one of their best marksman behind the barrel of a .50 Caliber sniper rifle. I can guarantee you that they've already got their sights on you, and if you don't start moving right now," Gage stopped looking at the screen, and started looking through it, staring at Yang and Ruby.

"You won't be heading back to Beacon."

Ethan smiled. "Gotcha."

 _ **BANG!**_

The bullet exited the barrel at velocities no man, woman, or faunus could ever achieve. It went screaming through the evening sky, desperate to meet its target, which it did. By the time Jackson caught on to what Gage was saying, it was too late.

Jackson only took half of a step, before he felt something impact and push him back into the column he was resting against earlier. Even the three on the other end could hear the impact, and could even see where it hit, leaving them speechless.

Jackson, with his free hand, brought it up and put it against his chest, and pulled it back after a moment, to see the tips of his fingers covered in blood. Nothing could be seen registering on his face, only a mixture of blank confusion/shock.

"Jay?" Gage asked.

He looked away from his hand, and back into the camera. "Guys…?" Was all he could get out, before he started to slide down the column, and have his body slump as his Scroll slipped from his grasp, leaving to look only at the sky.

Someone from the audience was looking over in his direction, and she witnessed something strike Jackson as well. It left her in a blank state as well, until she began to see him slide down against the column, leaving a blood stain as he did so. That was enough to cause her to snap out of it, and to shriek in horror. Her scream caught the attention of the rest of the audience, and after looking over, all hell broke loose, and chaos ensued.

The Schnees were the last to see what happened, because they were on stage, but they grew concerned when attendees began to grow hysterical. After quickly stepping off stage, and looking around to see what the hysteria was all about, the color drained from the face of Viktoria and Weiss. There, slouched against a column with a blood trail above him, was Jackson.

Gage, Yang, and Ruby all saw what happened, and Yang covered her mouth just as Jackson started sliding down. Not long after, they started hearing screams from off-screen, and soon more and more joined in. Ruby wasn't faring well at all, seeing what she saw, and was clinging to Yang.

Gage was just staring at the screen, watching it all happen, until it only faced the evening sky, and was still staring. "Jay? You there? Jackson? Come on man, say something!"

What stopped him from continuing his questions, was the voice of a familiar heiress rushing over. "Jackson? Jackson?!" He could hear the fear in her voice. "Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay…" Gage could even hear the cracking in her voice. "Wake up, wake up!"

He couldn't take it. He ended the call right then and there, and quickly pushed the Scroll away from him, covering as much of his face as he could with his right hand. Even Ruby couldn't take what she just witnessed, as she was now clinging to Yang in silence, tightly shutting her eyes and hoping this was all just a bad dream.

As for Ethan, he was laughing like a madman, watching Jackson slump over at the base of the column, and the rest of the people break out into a state of panic as security guards rushed to cover Jacques that still stood on stage.

"Sir!" One of the guards said. "We must get you inside the Manor, this inst-!"

The man couldn't get the rest of his sentence out before his head was popped like a balloon by another .50 Caliber round being fired. His headless body stood still for a few seconds, before collapsing. His sudden and brutal death left the other guards and Jacques in silent horror.

Smoke emanated from the barrel of the rifle Ethan held, as he was grinning to no end.

"Now _THIS_ is where the fun begins!"

…

AN: **IT'S ABOUT TIME THIS DAMN THING WAS FINISHED UP! What's it been now, two months?**

 **ANYWAY,**

 **That was Chapter 21! This was a huge work in progress, and I'm proud of the results. I need to be better of getting these chapters out in a timely manner, but life gets in the way, so not much I can do about that. Follow, Favorite, Review, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**


	22. JAA: Crashing The Party: Part 2

AN: **Hey everyone, and welcome back to Dead Man Walking! I know I left the last one on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I originally intended to go 'til the end, but a pal of mine (guess who~?) indirectly suggested that it'd be a good stopping point for the story, which I began to see now that he mentioned it. Shoutout to firebirdnamedsam, AlphaWolf665, DashingxRogue, Spero Omnes, Evankey, and Toffeecat15 for following/favoriting the story. Let's continue where we left off!**

…

Chaos.

That was the only appropriate word to describe what was going on at the Manor right now. What started out as a lovely evening for people to come together and donate to those in need has quickly devolved into a mass panic as the guests ran for their lives to avoid getting shot by the shooter. Some cowered in fear beneath the tables, others made a break for the doors to save their own skin. The only people aside from the guards that were at all engrossed in what's occurring at the moment were the press. Every media representative, journalist, and news anchor that showed up were now recording everything that was unfolding. What started off as a livestream on social media sites has now turned into a full-fledge live broadcast on any and every news station, across all four Kingdoms. Millions of people, human and faunus alike were watching the events unfold in real time, glued to their seats, fearful/curious in the result of it all.

Gage, Yang, and Ruby among the audience watching.

As for the shooter in question, Ethan felt like he was having the time of his life taking down security guards as he thinned them out to get to Jacques. So far, after blowing the first guard's brains out, he's taken down another two after him as they attempted to move Jacques to safety. But Ethan was too damn good at what he was doing, and pinned Jacques down on stage behind the podium he used for his interrupted speech. The man couldn't even so much as stick his hand out without risking having it blown off.

Meanwhile, Weiss was still acting hysterical over Jackson's shooting. Tears were brimming, and they were just about ready to let loose. "Come on, wake up Jackson! You already died once, you can't die again!"

In the midst of her crying, Joseph had come up next to them, since he saw what transpired with Jackson for the last two minutes. "Oh my god," Joseph said, sounding very worried. "Ms. Schnee, is he alright?"

"No, he's not alright!" Weiss screamed, hysteria and fury evident in her tone of voice, causing Joseph to flinch. "He's just been _shot!_ He is FAR from alright!" She grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him. "Come on Jackson, just say something dammit!" Just above them, a bullet impacted the column Jackson was resting against, showering him and Weiss in bits of marble as Weiss let out a shriek from surprise and fear. Ethan deliberately aimed for right above their heads, to instill fear in the heiress, playing with her as if she were his toy. She began to shake, now well aware of the danger she's put herself in by exposing herself like this, but she refused to leave Jackson's side.

The guards were desperately trying to devise a plan to safely get Jacques out of the predicament he was in. One of the ground security members, began to transmit to one of the marksmen on the roof. "We can't extract the CEO, where the hell are these shots coming from?!"

"We can't pinpoint where they're coming from!" Replied one of the snipers. "These shots are like bolts from the blue, just coming out of thin air!" No sooner that he said that did one of those mentioned bolts struck him and laid him out. "Ack! I'm hit!" Anyone who had their communications open could hear the man groan and struggle for breath, as his lung was punctured from the bullet and he rolled on the roof.

Ethan couldn't get enough of this. Ejecting the empty magazine and popping in a fresh one, he went back to dismantling Jacques security, one man at a time. As for the snipers posted on the roof of the Manor, they couldn't figure out where these shots were coming in from, other than from one cardinal direction, which left them in a frenzied panic. "Take cover, and keep an eye out for the origin of these shots! Try to bait the unknown shooter into firing if you can!"

Weiss' mind was in overdrive right now trying to figure out how she could bring back Jackson. She seemed to keep hitting a dead end with every plan she chalked up, and was about ready to scream her head off, had it not been for a slight squeezing of her shoulder and a familiar voice.

"Get… me… out of sight." It seemed as though Jackson has returned from the brink of death, though he's not faring well. His eyes looked to be drooping, and his voice was extremely strained and quiet, the result of his injury. The bullet punctured right through his left lung, and while it isn't cause for immediate death, it was still extremely painful and greatly restricted his ability to breathe. That healf-step he took right before impact saved his life, otherwise the bullet would have blown a hole in the center of his chest, and disintegrated his heart.

Weiss was elated to realize that Jackson wasn't dead, and hugged him tightly. "Thank God you're alive! When you didn't respond, I thought that was it…"

Her hug appeared to be, almost quite literally, squeezing the life out of him, and made his voice sound even more strained. "Weiss, now's not the time… for a heartfelt rejoice, we're all still… in danger."

She froze for a second, before nodding and letting go. "Right, you're still severely injured."

"Just get me… behind the stage… and I'll take care of it from there. Joseph… help her. Treat me like you're… carrying a corpse."

Joseph nodded and hooked his arms underneath Jackson's pits, lifting him up and dragging him as if he were dead, while Weiss followed, 'mourning' his 'death.' Ethan saw it all through his scope, and only smiled even more as Joseph began to drag Jackson, probably to attempt to save him, denial running through their system. And the way he dropped like a rock only strengthened his thought. However, Ethan also thought that he popped his heart like a balloon, and that he was nothing but a sack of meat and bones.

"Hey!" The pilot shouted to him. "Did you take out the target or not? I've been hearing more than one shot behind me so far!"

"Calm down, I took him down in the first shot," Ethan shot back quickly.

"Then what the hell are we still doing here?!"

"To take out the secondary target, Jacques Schnee."

"Then why didn't that happen on the second shot I heard?!"

"Because I've been picking off his security detail one by one!" Ethan shouted back.

"The longer you spend dicking around killing his security, the more time they get to dial in on our position and fire back!" The pilot angrily/worriedly said.

"Relax, we're a mile out, outside of the effective range of any kind of rifle or sniper they could have set up at the Manor."

As if the universe was out to discredit him, a bullet pierced the body of the idle Bullhead and exited out the other side towards the back of the airship, away from the two occupants. Regardless, the impact caused both of them to flinch hard, Ethan more so than the pilot.

"THEN WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" The pilot was obviously pissed at Ethan for the lack of credit to the statement he made two seconds before it got shot down.

Without delay, Ethan looked back through the high-powered scope to find whoever fired that round before they can squeeze off another bullet that might end up closer than they'd like, and it was already too close for comfort. Quickly skimming over the area twice, he found the source of the return fire. It was the large man on the roof of the manor, with the Atlas 20mm; but even with the high-power scope, Ethan wasn't able to figure out he was handling a weapon that could easily pierce the armor of a tank. Hell, he still didn't know that, but now he had an idea that whatever the man was shooting, it was equal, if not more, to the rifle he held in his own two hands.

"That's an exception…" Ethan growled, as he gripped the .50 Caliber gun and began to aim.

Back on the ground, Joseph had just dragged Jackson to the back of the stage, where the shooter does not have a direct line of sight on the three. Carefully, Joseph set Jackson resting against the back of the stage, as he let out a pained breath.

"Good…" Jackson said. "Now let me… do my thing." It wasn't long until Jackson closed his eyes, and used up what remained of his focus to concentrate. Soon, his body began to glow red, and his Semblance went to work. It started from the inside, and worked its way out. It fixed up and sealed the holes that the bullet left in his left lung, which took longer than the rest of the injury to heal, considering that he went into shock two seconds ago, and that the only thing that kept his lung from collapsing was the blood beginning to fill it up, then began to repair damaged muscle tissue, then the skin layer, leaving nothing but a new scar to add to his collection, as he let out a breath he was seemingly holding for the last forty five seconds.

Before coughing up a good clump of blood before him.

Joseph and Weiss reeled back in shock and disgust, not wanting any of it to get on either of them. But when it appeared that Jackson was done hacking, they quickly went to his side to check on him, the spill not boding well on them.

"You alright kid?" Joseph worriedly asked.

A few haggard breaths later, Jackson waved him off. "Best shape of my life," Jackson said, hoping to ease the tension.

And while it may have eased Joseph's mind a little, his humor didn't seem to be appreciated by the heiress.

Visibly upset, Weiss get in his face. "Don't be cracking jokes, Jackson! Now isn't the time for humor!"

"Then when will there be?"

"WHEN YOU AREN'T ALMOST KILLED!"

Weiss' shriek startled Jackson and left him in a stunned state, but not for long. It didn't take much time after her outburst for Weiss to go from a livid state, fire visible in her eyes, to her head slumping down, and her shoulders shaking. "When will you stop this…?"

Jackson was confused a bit. "Stop what?"

"This!" Her head snapped back up to stare him in the eyes, and what he saw made his heart drop. Tears were rolling down her face, trying to look angry, but failing and instead was looking miserable. "Your brushes with death, your nonchalance about them, your ignorance towards your health and well-being! Can't you take it seriously?!"

"Weiss-"

"This whole time I've been worried sick about you! There are those moments where you aren't in the right state of mind, when you aren't you, and someone, some _thing_ else, takes over. I saw it back in March, we all did! Have you ever gotten help for that? Have you tried to fix it? Then came the mission at Mountain Glenn, where by the end of it you looked like hell and the clothes on your back had turned to rags by the beating you took. And now we're here! A charity event, where you've been shot out of the blue, where I don't know how many seconds you were away from death, and now you're making stupid remarks about your health, like this is all one big sham!"

Her entire figured slumped again. "When will you understand that you're not immune to dying, Jackson?"

He didn't know what to say. Weiss just spilled so much emotion into her rant, her worries, her fears, leaving him speechless. He didn't know what to say, what he could even begin to say, that would ease her mind.

He wouldn't have to, as another impact rang out, and snapped both Jackson and Weiss from their little moment. A loud _CLACK_ and _THUMP_ of two objects falling could be heard not long after, grabbing the attention of the two teens.

Looking in the direction the sounds came from, they found two things: the body of a large, well-built man, with blood pooling beneath him, and his weapon, a big one, by the looks of it.

Ethan smiled to himself as he saw the sniper topple over the roof into the outside garden behind the stage with a hole in the middle of his chest. "That takes care of that, now back to business~"

Jackson slowly pushed himself up and made his way over to the man. Seeing a hole in the middle of him, he moved on to the weapon, and his previous assessment about the gun being big wasn't wrong. He found himself in the presence of a shoulder-mounted Atlas 20mm rifle. With a magazine capacity of four, this bad boy could devastate human, faunus, machine and Grimm alike. It has the power to penetrate the armor on a Paladin and that of a Deathstalker, easily. However, the biggest downside to them was not only magazine size, but mobility as well. The 20mm is a heavy son of a bitch, and while the weight may help minimize it, with the recoil on it, you can't make shots and move around at the same time. At least, not with a lot of accuracy.

Jackson hunches over and hefts the rifle onto his shoulder, looking through the scope. It looked like the scope was hopped up on steroids, because the zoom and range on it was on a whole other level. It contained a built in rangefinder, and could adjust distance to the appropriate range, instead of the traditional dial-in with other scopes. But it wasn't all good news. The drop from the roof had damaged the scope a good bit. The rangefinder wasn't functioning properly, as it flickered on and off, and there was a crack going right through the middle of it. Checking the rest to make sure the scope was the only thing that was damaged, everything else seemed to be in working condition.

It was when Jackson placed the weapon on his shoulder that a thought popped into her head. Wiping the tears away from her face, "Wait, you don't actually plan on fighting back, do you?"

"What else is there to do?" Jackson responded.

"Wait it out!"

"And let whoever's behind that scope continue popping people all day? Has anyone called this in yet? How long ago? When will support arrive? How many people will they have killed by then? Besides, I can't go out there in the open and start shooting open, I'm practically a sitting duck with this gun on my shoulder. No, I plan on doing it behind the stage, peeking through the curtain."

"You're in no condition to retaliate!"

"I'm fine, and I won't stand by and wait for this to resolve itself. You can berate me all you want after this is said and done." Other people's lives were on the line, not just his, and no one, not even Weiss could talk him out of this. As for Weiss, she was obviously very upset over this, but she knew that this was a fight she wouldn't be able to win. Her silence admitted defeat, enough for him to focus on his newfound objective.

Peering through the curtain, he swept the horizon in search of the source, which took a little while longer than he expected, but he found it nonetheless. In the distance, a speck of bright light can be seen hovering in the air. It wasn't much to go off of, because he didn't know for certain if there were any establishments set in the far mountains, and it's just light reflecting from a window; but out of all the occasional glances he'd take out the windows peering out to the distant mountains, not once does he remember any reflection of light coming out from this direction. Looking through the scope, he set the sights on the dot of light to figure out exactly just how far out they we-

' _Holy shit.'_

Jackson felt like the drop messed up the scope more than he thought, because if he was reading the flickering numbers right, the source of light was _5304 feet._ Whoever was making these shots were doing it from over a mile out, meaning they've got some ridiculous practice under their belt. But what kind of gun could make shots like that? He knows it wasn't a 20mm like the one he's holding right now, otherwise that shot would have for sure put him down, in his mind? .50 Caliber, perhaps? But even a mile is pushing its range a bit, but it's the only other kind of gun that comes to mind, well the most common. Regardless, there was still a very real threat looming over them all, and as far as he's aware right now, he's the only one that has any chance of taking them down.

What remained of the security detail was in a frenzy trying to figure out what to do about their situation. They knew where the source of fire was coming from, but they could do fuck all about it. They've already called for Atlas air enforcement, but who knows how long it'll take the mystery shooter to pick them all off, before reinforcements arrive is what they think. With dwindling numbers, it won't be long before all that's left standing between the shooter and Jacques is the podium he's hiding behind. The head of the security detail didn't know what to do. He wasn't willing to risk his life to test just how far the shooter's ability reached, and he wasn't willing to send out what was left of his men either. Only three of them remained now, Ethan's marksmanship not excluding anyone, counting the one in charge. They surrounded Jacques in a triangular formation, two of the men taking either side of the podium, and Jacques and the head of security huddled towards the middle. As for Jacques, for lack of a better term…

The man was scared shitless.

Borderline breakdown, he thought that he had accounted for everything when composing his security team. Snipers, SMGs, posts along the ground and roof, the best equipment money could buy for his detail. And here it all was, being dismantled piece by piece at the hands of one person. As he was deep in thought, a corner piece of the podium was blown to bits, wooden shrapnel flying everywhere and striking more fear into the CEO. Now it was obvious to everyone down on the ground that Ethan was playing at this point; the corner hit was far enough away from any potential targets, that knowing the results he's given earlier, it was a deliberate miss to screw with them.

Truth be told, Ethan could pop Jacques anytime he wanted to. The podium wasn't strong enough to keep a .50 bullet between him and the CEO. It wouldn't be long before he decided to get it over with, as the security can only entertain him for so-

Ethan could hear a distinct high-velocity whizz shoot past the Bullhead below his feet. He was so preoccupied by the sudden return fire that he almost didn't notice the sound of another whizz shoot past them above his head, missing the Bullhead by a good foot. That was enough to jolt him out of his dumbfounded state and get back to looking through the scope to find the source of retaliation.

' _Where the hell are these shots coming from?'_ He wondered. ' _No way in hell it's the man from the roof, he's got a hole in his chest and fell from the roof! Is there another one of them that I didn't notice before?'_ He began scouring the roof for any signs of another sniper capable of firing this far out.

As he did so, while back on the ground, Jackson mentally kicked himself for missing his second shot. The recoil on this gun was no joke, but he couldn't let that mess him up. They may be a mile out, but now wasn't the time to be missing when other people's lives are on the line. Taking a deep breath, he focused once more on his distant target, steadying his aim. The flickering numbers only posing a slight distraction to his aiming, ironically. As he slowly began to squeeze the trigger, he was hit with a sudden and extreme wave of dizziness and shortness of breath. He absentmindedly fired, before he pulled back out from the stage and took an immediate knee.

Surprisingly, the shot wasn't that far off from its intended target, as it grazed the Bullhead, but far from where he originally aimed. The bullet grazed the windshield of the cockpit, startling the pilot and making him realize they were still in danger. "I THOUGHT YOU TOOK CARE OF THE SNIPER!"

"I DID!" Ethan shouted back. "I saw him topple over like a tree with my own two eyes, hole in chest and all!"

"Either your ego's fucking with your vision, or there's another one taking shots at us; either way you need to stop it, otherwise to hell with your dicking around with Jacques, we're flying out of here!"

Ethan only glared at the pilot for his incessant paranoia, but dropped it. He already completed his objective, Jackson was dead in a pool of his own blood, they could've flown back to base right after. But he insisted they stay to take down one more man, and if he wants to get it done, he needs to focus. He could've flown the Bullhead, no problem, he's been trained to pilot one. But he couldn't perform both tasks at the same time, so he needed the pilot to stay and keep them up in the air while he worked his magic.

Jackson's breath was ragged and forced as his dizziness began to slowly subside. It wasn't long before Weiss was at his side, obviously worried about his health.

"What happened?" She asked.

Jackson nodded, still taking deep breaths. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me, Jackson. If you're hurt, then you need to stop this now and let someone else handle it. Don't push yourself, you'll just be risking your own health."

"I said I'm fine," Jackson stated again more sternly. "I'm just taking a quick rest. It's not as easy as I'm making it look, holding up an 85 pound rifle for an extended period of time and dealing with the recoil."

But the truth was, he was still in poor health. Sure, he may have fixed up his wound, but that didn't mean he was at 100%. Blood seeped into his lung before he healed it, and now it was messing with his breathing. It was clogging up his air sacs, and wasn't allowing as much oxygen to circulate because of it. The shortness of breath and dizziness he had just experienced were a result of that. Holding up the 20mm rifle and compensating for recoil has put a bit of strain on his body, which is the last thing he needs in his current condition. If he doesn't work quick, he could lose consciousness, or worse, die on the spot.

When the effects were completely gone, for now, Jackson took a long breath, and slowly exhaled. "Alright, I'm good now." He stood back up from his knee, and poked out from behind the curtain once more, taking aim. Lining up his shot, he had the Bullhead in his sights. Slowly putting pressure on the trigger, Jackson made sure everything was as it should be, before firing.

 _Click!_

Nothing came from the rifle other than that sound, the exact opposite of what he was expecting to come of it. But before he could wonder what the hell happened, a small portion of the stage flooring five inches in front of him blew up in a splash of wooden shrapnel, startling him and cause him to take a tumble backwards and lose the 20mm.

By the time Ethan was done scanning the rooftops of the Manor, he didn't find any signs of the retaliator, which worried him greatly. Who knows how long it'll take for them to dial in on their aiming? At this point, it'd be better to kill Jacques now as soon as possible and reduce their time hovering in the open. But to his luck, just as he started to focus back on his original (secondary) target, he spotted something to the side poking out of the curtained background. His curiosity getting the better of him, he moved to look at what was sticking out. Focusing on the point of interest, he found himself looking at the shooter taking shots at them. His heart skipped a beat in joy, and he quickly took aim, a bit _too_ quickly, and opened fire.

Much to his dismay, his shot fell short of his intended target by a miniscule amount, causing him to jerk back behind the curtain and out of his sight. But now that he knew where he lay, he kept his scope scanning over the stage area.

Jackson was just starting to pull himself back up when Joseph hurried over after seeing him take a spill. "Are you alright, my boy? What happened?"

He loosely waved his hand dismissively. "I'm fine, just caught off-guard, is all." The tone in his voice sounded rushed, trying to quickly get back to the problem at hand. "The 20mm didn't fire, out of ammo is my guess. The man must have been able to squeeze off a round before he was taken down. Quickly, search him for any extra ammo." He stood back up and hurried over to where the 20mm clattered off to after he dropped it. Pulling out the magazine, he was right in assuming he ran out of ammo as he looked at its empty inside.

"Found one!" It didn't take long for Joseph to search the body for another magazine, though Jackson's luck didn't extend very far after that. "Just the one, though. It doesn't appear as though Mr. Schnee was expecting any sort of aerial assault today."

"One is all I'm gonna need," Jackson replied as he placed it back on his shoulder, and looked through the scope once more.

Only for his heart to drop when he did.

"Fuck…" The tone in his voice was obvious, which caused both Joseph and Weiss to worry a little.

"What is it?" Weiss asked.

"The scope's shattered," he replied in a grim tone. The high-powered scope was already beaten to hell when he first picked it up, and that last tumble was the last nail in the coffin. The digital display for range was nowhere to be found, and the glass lenses were cracked beyond repair, leaving Jackson unable to pick out which of the multiple targets it now displayed through the shards was the real one. With the shooter now knowing where he was, his chances of hitting his target dropped, now that he doesn't have as much time to dial in, and with the scope now broken, the one crucial piece that even gave him a decent shot to begin with, those odds now dropped to an astronomically low chance. It was crushing, how low they just went, enough to make Jackson give up altogether, and just wait and survive until reinforcements arrive. Casualty count seemed to stop mattering to him, so long as he, Weiss, Viktoria, or Joseph wasn't among that count.

…

…No.

What the hell was he thinking? He couldn't give up on these people, not when he knew there was something he could do about it, no matter how slim those chances were. It's better that he take those slim chances instead of giving up and doing nothing, otherwise he wouldn't be able to live with himself, knowing he could have at least still tried to save them. Shaking off the defeated submission from his mind, he grabbed the scope in a vice-like grip, and tore it off the rifle entirely, discarding it off to the side. "Give me the clip," Jackson said to Joseph.

The man was surprised that even after losing the scope, Jackson was _still_ determined to take this man down. Without uttering a word, he handed him the clip and stepped back away from the curtain, but still put himself between the curtain and the heiress. Whether she caught his intentions with his positioning, she didn't acknowledge, engrossed in Jackson's actions; more importantly, his safety.

' _Focus, Jackson,'_ he said to himself. ' _You've done this kind of thing before with your bow, shooting targets far out with nothing but your own two eyes and your mental calculations. Same game concept, just increased difficulty and different level design.'_ Jackson put himself into the same rhythm he'd have when he goes out hunting, his mind ignoring everything around him. All that was here was him and his target.

It was a unique feeling, the only way he could think of describing it as having everything else around him cease to exist/matter. For that brief moment, he felt free, unrestrained physically and mentally. Eyes closed, he took a deep breath, and slowly let it out.

When they snapped open, there was a sharpness in his eyes that Weiss has only seen once before. And that was during his blind brawl with them on his birthday. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or more worried…

Instead of peering through the curtains, Jackson made his way to the edge of the stage he his behind, and stepped out into view, eyeing his miniscule target without wasting time. Even with such extreme distances, to him it felt like he could see the Bullhead with crystal clarity. His movements were precise and automatic as if he's done this a million times. In a way, he has, but who knows how well that translates over from his archery experience to his current predicament. Whether it would or not could only be determined by action, rather than inaction. Taking into account distance, as well as the sheer power behind each shot, he adjusted as best he could to make his mark, and he could afford nothing short of his absolute best. When he was absolutely certain of his aim, he fired the first of his last four shots, before quickly hiding behind the stage once more.

And not a moment too soon, for a bullet came screeching through where he stood a handful of seconds later. He couldn't stay in one spot for too long if he didn't want to give the shooter a chance to get a bead on him, meaning he couldn't stick around long enough to see his handiwork, if it even impacted his target, that is. All he could do was hope.

Whether it was hope, or a hidden skill that's laid dormant all this time didn't change the fact that ridiculously enough, Jackson's shot actually made contact… though just barely.

While scouring the area for his retaliator, Ethan heard the all-too familiar sound of a bullet grazing metal. This spelled trouble for them, and caused the pilot to become more on edge as the seconds ticked by. Ethan was fast enough to spot the shooter peeking out from the side of the stage before he slinked back in, but was too slow to actually shoot him. That didn't mean he didn't still give it a try, though. He let one fly, but his target slipped back into cover just as soon as he pulled the trigger. He let out an annoyed growl as he saw the bullet strike the stone behind him.

Meanwhile, Jackson scurried over to the opposite end of the stage, and proceeded to repeat the process, taking aim, and firing before quickly sliding back into cover. His second shot was less successful, missing the Bullhead entirely by a few feet. He risked his safety so he could catch a glimpse of where the spot of light was. He found it still hovering in the air, but only for the briefest of moments before stepping back from the edge.

It's a good thing he did, as a chunk of the metal frame that held the curtains up erupted in a shower of sparks and metal shrapnel, causing him to curse and avert his eyes. Thankfully his aura took the impact, and didn't injure him in any way, but it still stung. ' _Two shots left, and considering how they're still taking shots at me, I haven't done a damn thing towards them.'_ The thought was enough to make him angry at himself for his inability to land his shots, even though he had no real reason to be. Given the circumstances, one could say it was admirable in and of itself, albeit foolish or moot. But he wasn't having it, not when he could still make it work.

Weiss and Joseph looked at him with great worry, each with thoughts on opposite ends of the spectrum on his actions, Joseph's being brave and strong-willed and Weiss' as idiotic, dangerous, and reckless. While they both looked at him concerned with how things would play out, neither thought about stopping him. After all, he only had two shots remaining before he had to stop, and both of them knew that.

Ethan was growing more and more annoyed with this man, with his hit-and-run technique. It didn't give him enough time to get a bead on him and take him out of the fight. But this time would be different, as he positioned his shot beforehand. If he were to follow the pattern the man was starting to set up, then he'd appear on the opposite end of the stage to take another shot. With that in mind, Ethan moved his sights to where his destination would be, ready to pop his head the moment he rears his ugly head around the corner to aim.

At least, that's what he expected to happen, until a loud _PANG!_ along with a shower of sparks and sudden lurch was enough to snap him out of his self-satisfaction. The Bullhead suddenly turned sharply to the left and leaned at an angle that was enough to send Ethan tumbling dangerously close to the open end of the cabin. With extreme fear and the strong will to live, he grasped wildly for anything that would prevent him from falling several feet to his own demise. Luckily for him, he managed to grab hold of one of the legs for the seats bolted down to the aircraft. He came to a sudden halt at the mouth of the opening, his body dangling precariously in open sky up to his chest. Throughout the entire series of events, he held a vice-like grip on the rifle, white knuckles visible. A primal growl escaped his lips as he tossed the rifle back into the cabin, and with both hands now gripped on the seat leg, pulled himself back into the Bullhead.

By the time he did, the Bullhead began to level out, and didn't lurch to one side as much anymore, though he could hear signs of a struggle coming from the cockpit. Standing on somewhat shaky legs, he pushed towards the cockpit, not missing the moment when the aircraft began to speed forwards, putting more distance between them and the Manor.

He finally came into the cockpit, seeing the pilot with worry etched on his face as he pushed the throttle forward. "What the hell are you doing?!" He shouted. "What just happened with the Bullhead?!"

"Bastard on the ground manage to nail one of the engines, which caused the Bullhead to destabilize. I managed to get it under control now, but I don't know how that's gonna last."

"Give me three more minutes, that's all I'll need to end him!"

"That's not it!" The pilot responded. "Listen to the radio!" He pointed to the console, and as Ethan focused in on it, the mumbled background noise that he ignored became more audible and clear to hear.

" _-oute to the Schnee Manor. I repeat, Atlas airships are en route to the Schnee Manor, one minute out, over."_

" _Copy that Sentinel One. Attempt to capture them, however use of force is authorized if necessary. Ironwood out."_

Ironwood! Of course that bastard was behind the quick response time of authorities. Ethan wanted to tell the pilot to stand his ground, to wait a few more minutes for Ethan to cap Jacques. He could, he outranked him and is to be treated as his superior officer, but he wasn't as strict and militaristic as Adam, and he knew that staying here any longer would result either their capture or deaths. Their Bullhead wasn't built to fight, but for speed, which meant less armor, no guns, but higher speeds for a fast getaway.

He didn't like it one bit, but he completed his main objective, which would have to be enough. Reluctantly sitting down in the co-pilot's seat, he buckled in and allowed the pilot to focus on getting away without another hitch.

…

Jackson stood where he was, watching the Bullhead begin to speed off into the distance, as well as everyone else in the garden. After Jackson struck one of the engines, it looked like it was just about ready to fall out of the sky, the pilot managed to right itself, before beginning its escape.

Silence engulfed the gardens, not believing it was over, and waiting in fear for another bullet to splatter someone's brains across the floor. One second of waiting turned to five, five turned to fifteen, until an entire minute passed with nothing happening. Jackson stepped out into the open, his footsteps almost deafening among the dead silence. Joseph followed him out from behind the curtain, as did Weiss. What remained of Jacques' security also began to stand up, still hesitant. Before long, so did everyone else, coming out from whatever cover they could find, pushing themselves off the floor, and congregated in the open.

Jackson looked out to where the Bullhead hovered still, and was only pulled out of his trance when he felt a hand grip his left shoulder. He found that the hand belonged to Joseph.

"You did it," he whispered, but repeated it in a louder voice. "You did it lad, you stopped them."

Others nearby heard it, and turned to face him. He paid no mind to them however, as another presence made itself known by slowly wrapping her arms around his stomach from behind, burying her face into her back. He could take a guess as to who it was, since she was shaking a bit. Jackson smiled when she hugged him, causing him to finally relax. His relaxation seemed to act as a cue for the people, as he heard people begin to speak up calling for others and thankful to have come out of it unharmed, even if they weren'tthe intended targets to begin with, reunite with people that were lost in the crowd during the mass panic, and to process what had just happened.

Among the commotion of the crowd, they heard screams pierce through the air, and turned their heads to the source. Three more Bullheads streaked across the evening sky, off in the direction of the mystery shooter, chasing it down. The sight was enough for the crowd to erupt in cheer, overwhelmed with relief that the authorities had arrive and were in pursuit of the criminals.

The scene that unfolded before him made him smile even more, to rejoice in coming through this event alive and well, and to see people begin to take control of the situation, though that would be the last thing he saw in that moment.

Without warning, his head swam, his vision darkened, and he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. He felt so weak that the 20mm rifle slipped out of his grasp and clacked against the stone flooring, startling everyone and causing them to look at him. His legs gave out from beneath him, and he buckled forward, collapsing while hearing a yelp come from behind him. Weiss was still holding onto him, it seemed, and his sudden collapse caused Jackson to drag her down with him. Her body fell atop his as he hit the ground, before she quickly pushed herself off.

"Jackson?" She worriedly asked, though to him it sounded muffled, and grew more muffled as the seconds passed. "Jackson, are you okay?! Someone, help!"

Another voice joined in, a male one, but now it sounded so distant he couldn't tell who it belonged to. "Hang in there son, we're gonna get you help."

The word 'son' sparked a light in him, but only for a moment before it was snuffed as soon as it appeared. "Dad…?" He said weakly, before darkness overtook him and he was swept into unconsciousness.

…

 _Patch Island_

It's been three hours since Gage, Yang and Ruby witnessed get shot before their own eyes, and not once did they get a call from him or Weiss. The lack of communication was slowly ripping them apart as worry ate away at them.

They saw the live coverage of what went on after Jackson got shot, from the flurry of screaming people scrambling for cover or lying down on the floor, to the graphic video of security being shot and murdered. To Yang, she didn't know whether to be impressed or disgusted with the continual coverage of the events that unfolded. On one hand, it allowed for others to monitor the situation and possibly helped the authorities with their rapid response. On the other, this was news the public would eat up like hot cakes, and would be sure to take in views like never before, and had different news stations competing for the coverage of it.

But she had to give it to them, it _did_ allow the three watch someone fight back against the shooter, which was something they very much needed during that time. It lifted their spirits, if only by a little, to see someone grab the attention of the shooter and keep them from taking the lives of others. But they never got a good shot of his face, and she says his because of how big they were in terms of height and muscle, because of the large rifle he held on his shoulder covering half his head. When the news outlets focused on the Atlas Bullheads blazing through the air in pursuit of the person responsible, it resulted in cheer among those watching from home as well, and not just the party attendants. Yang and Ruby didn't really cheer so much as sigh in relief and worry about their friends that were there.

That had been over two and a half hours ago, and now they were fearing the worst. It wasn't until Ruby's scroll went off that they practically jumped at the device to see who was calling. Ruby recognized the number belonging to Weiss' Scroll, and didn't hesitate to aggressively press the answer icon.

"Weiss, thank God you're alive! Are you okay? Did you get hurt? What happened to Jackson? Please tell me he's alive, please!" She was so busy firing off questions through the Scroll that she had to restrain herself from asking more so she had a chance to answer. Yang and Gage were crowding around her, desperate to hear the call as well. Ruby noticed and put in on speaker so they could all hear. "Weiss, give us an answer!"

They only heard a weak chuckle from the other end, before they got a response. "Hey Ruby."

That voice… Ruby almost dropped the Scroll at the sound of the voice on the other end, but kept her grip on it as her lips quivered. Gage and Yang seemed just as shocked, but kept silent as Ruby spoke. "J-Jackson…?"

The voice was weak, but it was undeniable who it belonged to. "You didn't think a bullet was gonna be enough to kill me, did you? I'm made of tougher stuff than that."

Ruby let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She began to cry again, but instead they were tears of joy, of relief, as she smiled for her cocky friend on the other end. Yang held herself better than Ruby, with tears brimming instead of the full on waterworks Ruby had going on, but smiled nonetheless. Gage hadn't shed any tears, nor teared up in the slightest, but did sigh in relief and felt as thought a weight from his shoulders had been lifted, and smiled as well. He ought to kick his ass when he recovers for making Yang and Ruby worry as much as they did, but let it slide this time, knowing it would just make said girls upset if he did.

Besides, they'll probably kick his ass themselves when they see him again.

…

AN: **And that's the chapter! Jesus Christ, these keep getting harder and harder to get out in a timely manner with school taking up most of my time now that it's my senior year of high school, and all the stuff that comes with it. I'm sorry about that, I wish I had more time to work on this.**

 **But anyways, I've got an announcement for y'all! There's going to be another attachment to this story, something that I think would be fun to do, and might provide more insight on some things, which explains why this chapter is drastically shorter than the previous one. It'll come in the form of another story, so keep a look out for that on my profile.**

 **Follow, Favorite, and Review, and I'll see you guys in the next installment of Dead Man Walking!**


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